Scion – Petro Campaign – Session 27
This account was originally found on Livejournal, I am not the original author—I am just a fan of the journal and have found reading it on livejournal clunky to navigate and rife with errors/instability (such as having to refresh multiple times due to the page in questions becoming unavailable often requiring multiple refreshes. The original post can be found here, published by DJ-Yomi, and was published on June 14th 2008.
We’ve arrived in Donegal Town, Ireland. Lucas set us up with a flight and gave us cell numbers for three members of the Unseelie Court. They’re supposed to help us get in contact with the Tuatha, but they’ve presented us with a test of sorts. We have to help them protect a group of nine mortals who are trying to revive the Lughnasa tradition of the Mummer’s Dance, a sort of traveling play that visits homes in the area during the night of Lughnasa, a holiday that honors Lugh (one of the principle Tuatha).
We couldn’t reach our contacts when we first arrived, so after installing ourselves in a local hotel, we all split up to check out Donegal. There’s a lot of traditional art there, which makes it a good tourist destination. I spent all day at the town’s extensive park with Quinn, Kimiyo, and Dahlia. A host of musicians play there, so we just enjoyed seeing them do their thing. Most of it wasn’t really our type of music, but we could at least appreciate it. And there were a lot of local artisans selling hand-crafted musical instruments. Remembering how much I like the violin in the work of artists like Emilie Autumn and the Cruxshadows, I decided to buy a nice hand-crafted violin for Echo, thinking I might ask her to try playing it for some of my future tracks, if I can work it in well enough. I also bought her a beautiful lyre, which I think she’ll really like.
I’m not sure what the others did all day, except that I know T-Bone hit some pubs with Mad Dawg. I think he’s trying to play wingman to Ray’s follower. The gods know he needs the help. Anyway, that’s why Dahlia stuck with me all day. T-Bone couldn’t exactly play wingman with a sexy woman on his arm.
We were finally able to contact our unseelie friends in the early evening, and met them at the park. The three of them included a bean sidhe named Aife, a leanan sidhe named Siobhan, and a kelpie named Tanith. Aife is drummer for a band called the Loch Monsters. It’s a kind of alternative/punk sort of band, and their music is pretty good. I made sure to familiarize myself with it before meeting Aife so that we’d have some common ground to talk about. I was pleased that she and her friends knew of me too. They’re pretty familiar with my music, so we had a lot to talk about. As a bean sidhe, Aife also prominently sports a delicate hair comb. That apparently means she’s unwed and is kinda in the market. The person who takes her comb can claim her as his wife. Anyway, Aife and I got along very well.
Siobhan is a fiery redhead who reminds me a lot of Simone Simons, the lead singer from Epica. She and T-Bone were immediately drawn to one another, which could be a problem. And not just for Dahlia. Leanan sidhe are known for their ability to inspire artists like me and T-Bone, or even Elisa (given her photography), but they must feed on the artist’s soul to do so. It’s not something they can really help, so there’s not necessarily any malice in it. But it’s still a problem. Lucas warned us about Siobhan, so I kept my distance. I know I have a tendency to draw people to me, and I don’t want Siobhan stealing any of my soul. And besides, I already have wonderful muse waiting at home for me. Unlike Siobhan, Echo doesn’t steal my soul when she inspires my creativity. ^_^ T-Bone didn’t seem to be worried about the threat of having his soul eaten, though. I’m a little worried about that. I think that hot red-head + inspiring musical genius = trouble for T-Bone. Siobhan and Aife seemed to be good friends, but their relationship definitely had an antagonistic streak to it.
Tanith, the last of the trio, was extremely shy. So much so, in fact, that she remained in the form of a black horse the entire time (as a kelpie, she can do that). She seemed very sweet, and I made sure to acknowledge and encourage her. I’m personally fascinated by the unseelie, and I want to befriend them if possible. Plus, it was hinted that Tanith had a kinda dark past, and that appeals to me as well. ^_^
Anyway, after introducing ourselves and getting to know our contacts a bit, we got down to business. We explained what we’re trying to do—convince the Tuatha to cooperate more with the other pantheons for the betterment of all—and they were willing to help. But first, we have to help them protect a group of mortals who are reviving the tradition of the Mummer’s Dance. See, although the Seelie and Unseelie Courts and the Tuatha are pleased to see the tradition revived, others aren’t, and they’re afraid that someone will try to sabotage the Mummer’s Dance as it travels the road from a church in Donegal to neighboring Ulster. Aife has been charged with protecting the mummers but is feeling a little out of her league, and she wants our help, even if she didn’t exactly put it in those terms.
The Mummer’s Dance itself is something like a traveling play. The nine performers will dress in traditional costumes and will dance and perform music for people along the way. It’s all very charming, and the practice is important to the Tuatha, so it should be preserved. Aife didn’t know exactly who might be trying to disrupt it, but among the most likely candidates are titanspawn like the formorians or fae who aren’t allied with the Seelie or Unseelie Courts and therefore aren’t bound by the strictures the Courts hold against harming mortals. Of course, those fae could be working with the titans, which would compound our problems.
We agreed to help Aife and the mummers, so they took us to the church where the Mummer’s are rehearsing and preparing for their performance tomorrow so that we could meet them. We decided to pose as a documentary film crew so that we can follow the mummers around tomorrow night while they’re doing their thing. If our presence can keep the bad guys from attacking, then that would be good. But even if they do still attack, at least we’ll be there to do something about it.
Along the way, Adam confided in us that he’d had a prophecy. I don’t remember all the details, but apparently our involvement in Ireland was engineered by one of the Tuatha, probably Mananaan mac Lir. Apparently he wanted to bring scions of other pantheons into the fold to fight minions of “the Hag” since no one in his family can harm them. The prophecy also showed that we’d need to symbolically pass through the Underworld to reach the Overworld in order to accomplish our task, which Adam sagely suggested meant working with the Unseelie before meeting the Seelie. Looks like we’ve got that well in hand. ^_^
Oh, the prophecy also said some things about Anna…something about how her destiny involved going to a “high plain” and to a dark place where many people worship. Apparently, that’s where she’ll have to go to find out how to slay this dog-beast she’s been asked to hunt.
By the time we’d finished discussing the prophecy, we had arrived at the church where the mummers were gathered. Adam, T-Bone, and I (the “face” crew in our group) went in to talk to the mummers while Ray soared overhead to keep an eye on things and Elisa went to get together some camera equipment for our documentary film crew cover. Anna stayed outside. I think she was afraid the mummers were somehow related to clowns and didn’t want her psychosis to cause any problems.
The head of the mummers, a woman named Claire with long red hair streaked with gray, was immediately suspicious and tried making excuses to get rid of us, but T-Bone and I soon put her at ease. She admitted knowing someone was out to sabotage their performance, but didn’t know exactly whom. We promised to help watch out for them. Once we’d calmed their suspicions, they seemed more open to having us with them. Then something odd happened. I didn’t quite catch it, but all-seeing Adam did.
See, many of the more traditionally-minded locals know what Aife’s comb means. I mean, if you know what to look for, it’s a pretty obvious sign that she’s a bean sidhe. So she hid it before going in to speak to the mummers. But during the conversation it almost fell from her pocket. Something was going on…it wasn’t just an accident. Anyway, Claire saw the comb, and after that her attitude toward us really changed. She became very accommodating. I think she realized that we were fae (some of us, anyway…she probably thinks we all are), and out of fear or respect (though probably the former) she seems to have decided that doing whatever we ask is in her best interest. Well, it doesn’t really bother me that she’s scared of us. I mean, I normally like to be loved, not feared, but if she thinks that we’re all dark, unseelie things that must be pleased or else, it means she’ll do her best to do as we say. And that should make her group easier to protect. ^_^
After making arrangements to meet the head mummer again the next day to discuss details of their route and our documentary crew’s plans, we left and let them get back to their rehearsal. I asked if Aife and her friends wanted to get together with my girls to play some music, but she, Siobhan, and Tanith had some Unseelie business they had to attend to. We promised to get together later. Amusingly, Siobhan did make some rather biting comments about Aife dropping her comb for me or Adam. And…it was pretty apparent that she was at least mildly attracted to both of us. I was tempted to reveal the full extent of my beauty at that point, but a warning glance from Ray reminded me not to let my vanity get the best of me. I don’t know what I was thinking. I’m so glad to count Ray as a friend.
Speaking of which…I still haven’t had a chance to talk to him. There are so many things I need to say to him. But whenever we aren’t actually doing something, he disappears to play the loner. I wonder if he’s avoiding me. Or maybe I’m reading too much into it. Sigh.
Hold on…I just got a call from Adam. He says Ray and T-Bone ran into one of our enemies. T-Bone stayed behind and concealed himself using his affinity with the moon to make sure nothing happened to the mummers tonight, and caught sight of a black rabbit with red eyes. He followed it as it tracked some of the mummers back to their house and attempted to enter by changing into a cat. At that point, T-Bone stopped it. It tried to escape, but T-Bone called in Ray and Adam, and they managed to capture it. After threatening the creature awhile, they learned that it was a pooka named Lairdig. He isn’t aligned with either of the courts, and in fact works for someone named Carva who is working with the titans. Carva and his (her?) followers want to put true fear back into humans. They want people to quake in fear of the fae, and will use any means to do so, including killing and eating people.
The information was quite useful, so Ray and the others agreed to let the pooka go if he would swear a binding oath not to harm anyone or get involved until after the nights of Lughnasa had passed. Lairdig was just glad to have a chance to save his own skin, so he eagerly swore the oath and fled.
So, that’s one attempt at sabotage foiled. But I’m afraid we’ll have our hands full tomorrow night during the Mummer’s Dance.
Anyway, since I couldn’t hang out with Aife and her band, I’ve been hanging out with Tabby in my hotel room, journaling, chatting, and listening to Collide. Tabby insisted on staying in my room. She’s worried about my safety and takes her job as my bodyguard very seriously. I’m glad for the company and definitely feel more comfortable having a decent combatant nearby to look out for me. I mean, Tabby’s no Shogun of Harlem or clown-hating psychobitch (well, she is a bit of a psychobitch, but not a clown-hater), but now that she’s a shikome elite, she can hold her own against most low-key threats and can probably hold off a more dangerous opponent long enough for Ray to arrive and help. Plus…well, Tabby’s become a dear friend over the past several months, so I enjoy her company. ^_^
You know, I don’t think I’ve mentioned this, but Tabby’s shikome bite has become a lot more powerful since she became an elite. I think she can turn much more powerful beings than she used to be able to. That’s definitely something to keep in mind…it might be useful in the future.