Vienna

The plan is to investigate the Austrian order (Manfred Faust, the Viennese magician is the main target) - Carlos and Nell entertain themselves - Acrobatics around… they discover a strange weave near the Musikverein Theatre…

Marco visits Dr Meissner - One of the most respected magicians in the city… Meissner's sister, Birgitta, is an albino… Birgitta keen to help but her brother is having too much fun playing the role of the elder magi…

Meissner takes Marco to see the observatory - the night's magic is revealed by weave lenses and proves more spectacular than usual… Meissner discusses the concentrations he has observed… One is above the Musikverein Theatre!

Nell is impressed by the magician's use of true magic to enhance his trickery… During the display he casts a finding spell and discovers two of his prey! Nell volunteers to join the next trick and agrees to get into a vanishing chamber… Sensibly she jams the lock uopen and as she drops manages to evade the two beautiful assistants! Carlos finds himself evading guards in a balcony chase! Both are lost in a maze of corridors until Nell finds her way back under the stage… Carlos lauches her upwards and just manages to leap after her with an acrobatic twist… The magician casts a paralysis spell and hits Nell as she runs through the stunned auditorium but Carlos catches her and they escape!

Sinclair is informed about a series of violent murders by Dept X… All the victims were crushed but they also suspect a hunting horror is in the sewers…

Judenplatz & Ghetto

Meissner recommends seeing Rabbi Eli - Sinclair's contacts say that there are two Elis, a young enthusiastic character and an old mad one - the party decides on the old mad one

Eli is less mad than expected… He suspects that someone has summoned and created a Golem… A jewish spell than animates a clay vessel that obey's the creator's written instructions… The golem attacks are very deliberate… Eli says that the golem has been seen in the ghetto - it's huge and made to be terrifying…

The ancient jewish sages pass down the secrets - a family in the ghetto must know the spell and have the talent to cast it… Eli won't reveal Jewish heroes…

Sinclair checks file - one of the indviduals recently killed worked at asylum as an alienist, Hans Clinger…

Narrenturm Asylum

Sinclair visits the asylum - Johann and Nell sneak into the record's room - Sinclair prends to be an exorcist and starts a ritual to remove a possession on a troubled prisoner - Nell finds records - the alienist showed a jewish boy to Faust - Sinclair and Marco battle a man possessed with a powerful demon - lots of screaming - Sinclair in circle of salt, Marco circles round outside - Sinclair grapples the body, Marco hog ties him - finally the poltegeist is dismissed…

Carlos searches for Faust's house but while he doesn't live in the city but never leaves…

Karlsplatz sewers

The party takes a guide to the area under the Musikverein theatre - they encounter a nightgaunt - Marco weilds whip and lasso - Johann uses magic to disguise the party as friends and the creature is utterly confused! Marco does some wrangling…

The party continue under the theatre and enter the illusionist's lair - a chamber filled with the arcane tools of an illusionist's trade. Johann opens 3 cages and releases three children?   

Manfred appears on the balcony flanked by his two assistants (with delightful costumes mostly consisting of strategically placed feathers)?   

"Welcome..."   

Surrounded by the impedimenta of a stage magician?s art, Faust can?t resist a little theatre. He indicates an ornate chair and Marco sits.   

"Herr Doktor Faust, I presume?"   "Naturally? Thank you for bringing me the final pieces for my collection!"   

Marco attempts to discern Faust's plan and discovers that the magician has discovered that he can cast powerful spells if he possesses five of the children a pentagram of heroes? Prices are discussed but Faust?s requirement is too risky for the champions.   

One of the assistants is a jaguar-sidhe while the other is an expert displacer. Johann activates his shields as Marco increases the pressure on Faust. As negotiations fail the three children shift into ?old ones? (green weave zombies).  Marco dives to avoid the spike in his chair! Jaguar girl dives into battle. Johann sends out a mind blast to stun the creatures on the gantry but catches Nell in the blast area. Carlos defends her body while Sinclair takes on the Old Ones. Marco deals with Jaguar girl while Sinclair seizes an opportunity to spell slay Faust?s web of illusions.  

The mass turmoil shatters every spell in the area! The Houdini box shatters and Faust is revealed in a glass box full of water (without the magical bubble of air that was sustaining him). Johann also finds his spells shatter as the turmoil explodes through the maze of tunnels. Sinclair and Carlos finish off the old ones (Johann blasts one from the ground).

Nell finds the real children and extracts them from a set of Chinese vases (9/10/5).  Jaguar girl made a dash for the door but with a crack of his whip Marco pulls her in and ties her up with Faust?s silk handkerchiefs.

Meanwhile Faust was slowly drowning in his own magic trick. Marco fired one shot to shatter the glass and whilst Faust was wheezing on the floor, Marco gave Faust his last rites and executed him.

The displacer escapes but the Hunting Horror is still abroad.  

Nell takes the Jewish child to the ghetto.  Eli takes them to the child?s father. Marco and Sinclair play a dangerous game of hide and seek with the Hunting Horror. Nell convinces the father to help. Time is running out. Sinclair gets close enough to be breathed on (93/98)! Marco succeeds in temporarily wrangling the Hunting Horror. Sinclair heads for a tight spot. Marco and Sinclair take turns playing chase to confuse the beast. Nell watches the golem descend into the sewers.  Sinclair draws his sword and prepares to sell his life dearly. The golem lurches into combat and smashes the creature in one almighty blow (08).   

Nell warns Eli not to abuse the golem?s power and he promises to put the creature into stasis. The older boy is returned to his family. The five year old girl was stolen from a village where Faust pretended to be a travelling conjurer. A cu-sidhe is assigned by Sophie.

Meissner and Eli briefed by Marco. Carrot and stick approach. Birgitta keen to help in the defence of Vienna. Meissner tempted and Marco hints that the Council might help him if he behaves (or punish him if he strays) ?You have potential to be a wise practitioner and to act justly?.   Now back to the Fey realms.