[actual play] Changeling: the Lost

 

Changeling: the Lost

Venice: Broken Masks, Shattered Dreams

Episode 1 - Promises - part 1

      Late at night a couple are in bed making love. Later we see them asleep. One wakes up and leaves the room, while the other, a woman, is left there, eye open, panting, pinned to the bed by some invisible force. Terror flickers across her face and we hear the wardrobe door creak open.

******

      It was morning, and the snow was thin on the ground. Else, sat in her overalls, was outside a cafe in Cannaregio, sipping a coffee as she took a break from fixing boats. She was near to the church of the Madonna dell'Orto. There was a commotion as staggering through the streets came a young man. He was naked, and he was covered in scratches. Every inch of his body was scarred, and he brandished a large kitchen knife. He stood in the court yard and mumbled. "A Knife through Butter, A Knife through Butter. In the Ghetto Blades get Hotter!" With that he slit his throat and there was panic as people ran over to help him. But it was too late. Else, shocked, went over to the body. She had heard what he had said and she called upon her Fae eyes, to see if reality was as it looked. The blade seemed normal, but then there was omething odd about the scratches.

 

******

      At his pharmacy Stitches was having a pretty normal day, but had heard about the strange death on the radio. He was surprised when Else turned up, and she asked if he might come look at the body. He knew it wouldn't be easy considering the police would be all over it, but what with Else sensing something from it, he shut up shop and headed over.

******

      At his warehouse squat Sonata was not having a good time. He slept through the day, such was the influence of the sun upon his Fae form. He dreamt, and not nice things. He was at first running, in the Hedge, with Briarwolves at his back. But then the dream changed. He was in St Mark's Square. He saw the Campanile, soaked in blood and from it hung cage with prisoners within. From the tower people were falling. Many were hitting the stone floor, their bodies being broken by the force. And the bodies were piling up. Amongst the bodies a lone figure moved, gnawing at the bones, slurping out the marrow, tearing at the flesh with it's teeth. The sky above was a boiling rage, and two eyes hung in the sky, burning with fire, looming over the city.

      There was a growl from behind and Sonata was soon being chased by the Briarwolves. He ran forward, up the pile of bodies, and scaled the walls of the Campanile. At the top he had pause for breath and from here he could see an island, shrouded in fog, and from it he could hear the sound of dogs howling. The Briarwolves were upon him once more, and so Sonanta jumped.

      Sonanta awoke with a jump and fell from the beam he slept upon and hit the floor below. Dazed he got up and left the warehouse, looking for breakfast.

******

      At the scene of the death there was now a police tent up and the area had been surrounded by the police. Else and Stitches were soon joined by Freki, who had heard about the death and had headed over. Stitches, attempted to get past the police, however they did not accept him as a police doctor and so asked him to leave.

      Meanwhile Sonata had made his way to the square and was helping himself to the food that was left on the plates by some of the people at the cafes. He spotted the motley and joined them. Deciding they needed help getting in, Stitches called Clio, who worked at the Florian tea room in St Mark's Square. She was able to get a break and headed over to the crime scene.

      When Clio arrived, she drew on her contract of Spring, and to the police officers appeared as their superior. Within the tent Stithes took some photos of the body and looked at the wounds. There was certainly nothing weird save for the scratches. They looked at the copy of the report that was there with the detectives, and it appeared the man had no signs of drugs in his body. They also learnt that the man was gay, and that he was had no partner and kept to himself. This fitted the opinion people were forming about the case, that it was some form of divine justice. However, there was a comment by the person that lived in the same block of flats, that he had seen someone leaving the apartment late at night, and that is was a man.