April 13th 2008

Session 17 in which –
The excavation was attacked by the Nidavellir Black Ops Squadron. While Agent Hito was off talking with Shiva, the rest of the band had remained at the dig site and had just returned to the surface, inside the main tent. Amidst shouts and explosions outside, it became apparent that the black-clad figures and their Griffon air support had arrived and devastated the American military personnel outside. Theo and Violette made their way to leave the soldiers to their fate, having achieved what they had come for down below, accompanied by Officer Chambers. In the meantime, Mr Ravencroft headed outside to observe the battle and try to speak with the Black-Ops soldiers. He was able to command several of them to toss their weapons over to him, trying to stop the conflict, but had lad success in commanding what seemed to be their superior officer. Even without theur firearms, the Black Ops figures were protected by some kind of dark-energy protective field and were able to rapidly subdue the soldiers in hand to hand. They seemd ot have no grievance with the Scions there, and be intent only on dealing with the US military presence.

After a brief exchange with Ravencroft, the leader of the figures stepped through shadow to the other side of the camp, ending up in the path of the Scions who had opted to head off earlier. Once Agent Hito returned he was unwilling to allow the Black Ops figures to continue 'dealing' with the US soldiers. After a brief attempt at negotiation, in which it was revealed the Black Ops had been hired by some other party to subdue the US forces and return them over the border, Agent Hito prepared to take a stand against them, claiming the right to deal with the soldiers and their accompnaying personnel himself. However, when the Black Ops' leader summoned a field of darkness to cover the area, he was powerless to intervene and was left frustrated when the darkness cleared to reveal both the Black Ops Squadron and the US presence gone.

The Scions returned having dinner with the Baron.

The Marassa gave Michael a paper mask, Hito a drawing of the bowed triangle, and told Theo where other children of the baron were present. They were advised to seek the Pesedjet, or the Atzlanti if they wanted knowledge of things that were not supposed to exist.

Green spikes in the city of St. Francis.

A snake that hunts bears in the most appropriate mountains.

A sleeping child in the city where they fought the king.

Hito and Eric fished, Michael went roof climbing, and Theo headed up to the sanatorium on the cliff, passing on a message to Ngala.

The Scions passed through door 42, and met a well mannered gent, who asked that they pick him some flowers.

They crossed the Cocytus and Acheron, after paying the toll, but were forced to walk to the far shore, being too alive to pay the toll.

Theo crossed the Fields of Asphodel, stalked by the hungry dead and Cerberus, before trading words with the Trivium and leaving a mark of his respect.

While Theo went ahead, the rest of the band plumbed the depths of the Styx, finding the heart of Surt in a circle of blasted warriors. They seemed to be Greek in origin and apparently been destroyed trying to reach the heart. Finding a slab of rock on the river bottom, Agent Hito was able to lever it under the heart and push/lift it along, carrying it out of the dark waters od the Styx

Each saw a skeleton, one missing a ring finger, one which took Michael’s face and wore it, one which coughed up shreds of the American flag to send them floating in the dark water, one which leered with a gaping jaw before reaching up to snap its own neck.

The heart was retrieved and bound, though not without great cost.

The Scions met Hades, who left Theo a parting gift.

A return to Guinee was made, and the Baron appraised of the situation before the Scions wnet their respective ways, to Haiti or New Orleans.

Oddly brusque ghosts were recruited, guns were bought and innocent people were accused of corruption.