Changeling: the Lost
Venice: Broken Masks, Shattered Dreams
Episode 1 - Promises - part 2
Perplexed by the death of the man the motley headed to the Teatro Fenice and the House of Autumn, while Clio headed to the Ca da' Mosto and the House of Spring. There they headed straight up into the roof of the building and entered the hallow, using the particular knock that they knew and allowing the door to recognise their mantle. In the dusty and dark library of the hallow the troupe met Athena, a member of Codexial's motley, the Library of the Lion. Athena was a large eyed woman, her mien showing that she was more like an owl. She swooped down from the upper levels of the library and listened to the motley. She informed them that the House of Autumn did have information with regard to this case. She explained that the Watchmen were aware of the issue but had not yet looked into it as the police seemed to be doing a good job of keeping it under the carpet. Athena gave the motley a folder of information and photos that the Watchmen had gathered so far. There were 3 other victims, all similarly scratched, all suicides. One was a family man, the previous victim. He had slashed his wrists in the bathroom. He had left behind a wife and daughter. The other two vicitims, another man and a woman, had all gone missing after a night out with friends. The woman had drowned herself while the man had jumped from his flat. All lived in and around the Ghetto area.
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At the Ca da' Mosto, Clio entered the Hedge and to the House of Spring. The run down building gave way to the magnificent hallow. It was a palace, covered in statues, drapes of plum and lime, the sound of singing and music, and light dappled in from above through the tallest vines of the Hedge. The upper floors were given over to opulent galleries and chambers, plus more rooms for guests, courtiers of the House and of course for pleasure. Clip eventually found who she was looking for, the charming Malvolio. The flowering Fairest, his skin pale and his lips moist with wine and his hair a radiant purple, welcomed Clio. Once he had finished his meeting he attended to Clio, who asked him what he knew of love, and more importantly, true love. Malvolio was amused by the conversation, but suggested that if she sought to understand love that she first understand love for herself, and to trust others. Then she may be able to recognise the first glimmers of love. But he also promises to have a look into the matter of love and see what he can find out.
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Meeting in the Ghetto, the motley decides to call in on the previous suicide and talk to his wife. Clio posed as a work colleague of the man with Stitches with her. They were able to meet the woman and see her small apartment. Using their Fae sight it was clear that the cupboard in the hallway had been used as a gateway into the Hedge. As they spoke with the woman they found out more about the break in that occur two nights before his death, and that nothing was taken and that their daughter had a few episodes. Understandable for such a young girl. But it was after the second night her husband became more irrational, which came out of the blue for the woman.
Meanwhile outside, Else was snooping about the back of the building while Sonata climbed up into the flat. Else spotted the broken glass from the break in and that there were foot prints on the wall, in a similar way to how Sonanta was moving. Clearly someone was able to move by magical means. She then found near the bins a broken vial, the inside still coated with a film of dark liquid. She sniffed at it and was immediately hit with a sense of dread. She pocket the vial.
Sonata, taking advantage of the noise from the TV in the flat, had broken in through the bathroom window. He crept into the bedroom and had a quick look, finding nothing. He then went to look at the girls room, and was confronted by the young child. She looked at him and asked if he was here to take her mum. He said no, and asked who had come. She showed him her drawings of the Campanile, of the Burning Eyes, and of an island with four people dead and dogs barking. Sonata knew the island she had drawn. The girl reached out and played with the smoke that composed Sonata's body. The girl could see his true changeling form.
Sonata left, and in time so that Clio and Stitches could leave. They also met the girl who just looked at them, puzzled, and traced the stitches on Stitches' wrist, and commented that Clio was a pretty fish.
******
The motley had gone to the most recent victim's home, a flat in another block outside, but near, to the Ghetto. The door was sealed with police tape, but Sonata picked the lock. In the flat they found no sign of break, fitting with the report that the man, who was gay and dislike by many of the other residents, had come back with someone the night before his death. There was of course a Hedge gateway in the mirror on the apartment door. Stitches touched it and the mirror cracked and fell away revealing the Hedge and a pathway.
The motley entered the Hedge. The pathway led through a tight tunnel of vines, tighter still due to presence of Stitches and Else. Mist clouded their way and it was more boggy under foot than normal, Clio's mien also influence the Hedge. After some time, with all making sure they knew the route they had taken, they came upon a clearing. There were four other pathways, 3 similar in size and one larger still and that led deeper into the Hedge. The vine above clawed over, dangling like hooks, and in the centre of the clearing was a blood stained table, covered in instruments and blades. This brought home to Stitches his time in Arcadia, and so the Hedge felt ever closer. The troupe looked at the pathways and the way they had come and chose the route that seemed to lead back out near to where they had come in. Following this path they found themselves at the cupboard of the dead husband. They could see the girls pictures in the Hedge, and so they made a doorway through the apartment door, leading out into the hallway.
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