Chapter One: Sing, Goddess [Darkness Visible]

[Chaka]

The crime scene is untouched. You see black droplets of blood on the ground near the wall: small pieces of broken glass lie between them. Shards of mirror. The signs of scuffle are faint, but your senses are beyond human; in your minds eye a figure is pushed into a sitting position... here is where the Mirror Man knelt beside him... you can almost hear the ghost of a scream. That's when you see it.


Slightly to the left of what would have been the victim's head height, a symbol is scrawled on the wall in charcoal and black, dried blood.

You don't speak Japanese, but you know enough about symbology to recognise this kanji.


Yami.


Darkness.


Flinching away from the sigil on the wall, you notice something else: a charcoal line at the base of the wall. It seems to encircle the crime scene. That isn't police procedure...

 

[CameraObscura83]

Shannon


"Guys....Overhere" Shannon stands facing the character his brow furrowed as he kneels down to mimic the position of the mirror man. "Did our friend tell us who this other Scion's parent were or what his business might be? Just curious...." His eyes follow the path of the circle, the glimmer in them betraying a hint of fear but nothing more. "This was planned, ordained. This would have to of been set up prior to the attack, but how? and to what end...."

 

[Mei]

"You sayin' that the Mirror Man chose the scene of the crime before the victim? Isn't that a bit backwards? Most criminals think of the victim first." Sheila's eyes flickered back and forth between the charcoal line and Shannon, who pointed it out to the group. With a slight frown on her face, she took out her camera and started going around the scene, snapping shots. "Any idea what the circle is for? What is it? Summoning circle? Ward?"

 

[Coyotekin]

Fu Shen,


He simply noted the symbol, then to notice the charcoal after keener investigation skills pointed them out. All the while tying to put two and two together. That was not exactly his strong point, a fact that his grandfather had pointed out numerous times. What had also been pointed out to him by his divine mother was the ways of magic and the need to learn the ways of it. With his birth mother's education in the arts of the occult he took to seeing if he could answer the inquisitive woman's questions.

 

[The Fuzz]

Toshio


"Well. Bollocks."


Toshio pulls out a pack of cigarettes and offers them around before lighting up. He's racking his brain to see if he remembers anything about the Japanese expat community in London. Of course, people aren't going to introduce themselves as cultists of Darkness, but they might have heard something.

 

[CameraObscura83]

Shannon


"Well perhaps it isn't the victim's, maybe they are just wrong place wrong time. What if this has to do with these places and the unfortunate souls caught in this web are merely a part of something else. Some strange ritual or obscure rite? Is there any cultural or mythological link between these locations i wonder?"

 

[Mei]

"So this whole thing is set up like some big ol' bear trap? Someone sure stepped in the wrong circle." She finished taking her pictures and walked back over towards the group. "Well, done with that. Who knows when we might need to review this scene."

 

[CameraObscura83]

(( Can i roll something to think of some sort of rituals that might perpetuate or call forth darkness in a literal/metaphorical sense, also with referencing to legend and/or mirrors?))


Shannon


"How long will it take you to get those developed? or is it digital?" Shannon digs in his bag a moment and references some notes prom prior lectures and his own independent studies. "I am not super familiar with Asain myth and symbols, but despite the iconography this is London. There should be some sort of connection with the island right?" He pulls a pen from his pocket and underlines some key phrases and makes notes in margins to cross reference when time presents itself. " I mean Darkness is pretty universal right? I think i am asking too many questions...."

 

[Mei]

"Oh, my camera is digital. Pretty good one, too. Given to me by good ol' dad." Sheila gave a sly look to the group. "This thing has helped me get into more trouble than you could believe. Also helped me cash in a good amount of money."

 

[The Fuzz]

Toshio


"Has it captured all sorts of salacious details, then?"

 

[Mei]

She laughed. "Yeah. You wouldn't believe what some people would buy!"

 

[Chaka]

Shannon and any Amatsukami Scions roll Wits+Occult.

 

[The Fuzz]

Well shit, son. No dots of Occult. Clearly Toshio should have watched more horror films and taken less accountancy courses.
Wits 3, 2 successes, Epic Wits not applicable on account of unskilled roll.


2 successes.

 

[Chaka]

Mikaboshi, the sworn enemy of your family, is the Titan of Darkness.

 

[CameraObscura83]

((Results for 7 dice: 4 successes [ 2 9 6 0 3 5 9 ] (TN: 7) + 1 Epic Wits = 5 Successes))


Shannon


Shannon looks around eyes suddenly wide and his face visibly pales. "Well, we might want to expect some company...." He stands and strings his bow, just in case. "That is a warding circle, whoever made it most likely felt it."

 

[The Fuzz]

Toshio


Toshio turns and spits in the alleyway (Taking care to spit outside the tape and thus not contaminate the crime scene).


"I now suspect that my father would like me to take a personal interest in this. I myself am not opposed to the idea. It would earn me some, ah, points with the family."

 

[Mei]

Sheila looked over to Shannon with a cocked brow. "So that's how he did it. Well, then." And then she watched Toshio spit, rather amused by him being so careful.


The sound of Sheila cracking her knuckles echoed all around. "I may not be big and strong like some of you guys, but I certainly know how to brawl. There's only one thing the Irish do better than fighting... Okay, maybe two things if you ask my dad and a couple others of the Tuatha." She visibly shivered after she said that. "No one wants to hear how many women their father has seduced while wearing a 'Kiss Me, I'm Irish' t-shirt... Though, that is so something I should try."

 

[Chaka]

Dragging footsteps in the darkness. Sounds like they're coming your way.

 

[The Fuzz]

Toshio


Ah. Ah, in fact, hah. This would be those familial brownie points approaching. Toshio shuffles his cigarette to the side of his mouth and rolls his shoulders, feeling his skin slicken with sweat, and then harden.

 

[Chaka]

The shadows seem to thicken and roil, like ink through water. You hear sobbing accompanying the footsteps, soft and mournful. After a few moments, a figure steps in to the disc of light thrown down by a streetlight. He looks to be a college student, dressed in jeans and a tshirt, short with a stocky build tending towards fat. He's weeping openly, his hands covering his face.


Dark liquid seeps between his fingers and runs down his pale arms like tears. Blood.


in the centre of the island of light, he stumbles suddenly, falls to his knees. Between sobs, he says brokenly 'Help. Please. Someone help me..." He's not crying out, his tone is almost detached. Late stages of shock, you'd think.


"There's... there's something in my eye..."

 

[CameraObscura83]

Shannon


Shannon keeps his bow ready but not drawn and looks to the others "Shit.....Do we help, or is it a trap?" His eyes want to help this man but there is uncertainty in them as well.

 

[Chaka]

Spasming violently, the youth drops to the ground, curling up into a ball. Blood starts to pool slowly around his head.


"It hurts!"

 

[Mei]

"Well, who thinks they can defend themself in case it IS a trap?"

 

[CameraObscura83]

Shannon


"I fight from a distance, but whoever does go in, i have your back if it turns south." He continues to watch the figure approaching them. "But i really dont have a good feeling about any of this."

 

[The Fuzz]

Toshio


"Oh, for pity's sake."


Toshio steps forward and crouches, rolling the young man into a squat and speaking constantly in a low tone, telling him that it's gonna be fine, help is coming, take your hands away from your eyes, let's see the damage, it's almost certainly not as bad as it feels, etc.