The PCs were the closest angels to hand when Isadora, Ofanite of Janus, passed on a rumor about the possible Redemption of a well-connected Game-Servitor in London, 1895. All they were supposed to do was investigate the rumor.
However, no sooner do they arrive in London than things get hairy. Before they have time to do more than organize an investigation, they hear a Huge Disturbance (Superior-Level) followed fairly closely by another Huge Disturbance (Superior-Level). At least one of the PCs will recognize the pattern of a Superior manifesting on the corporeal plane and then leaving again.
Eventually, they reach the scene of the Disturbance -- a safe house for Servitors of Janus, rented by Isadora in his Role -- to find it a veritable anthill of human activity, with policemen whistling, traffic snarling, and, in short, people everywhere. They can't get near the place until until things die down. They're not even sure they want to, since probably every demon in the greater London area heard the commotion. Eventually, the morning papers will tell them what the humans think happened.
In the small hours of this morning, the well-known journalist Isadora Persano was found in his rooms in an unresponsive state. His housekeeper attempted to rouse him and upon failing to do so called for help from a passing policeman. When medical assistance arrived, it was discovered that Mr.. Persano was physically healthy and unmarked but was in a deep catatonic state, from which he has not recovered.
Mr. Persano's brilliant and eccentric career as a journalist, marksman and duelist is well known. Often called "the most travelled of men," he was known to be always either starting on or returning from a journey. In this instance, he had just returned from a trip to Egypt, and readers were eagerly awaiting his description of that fabled country. His housekeeper heard an unfamiliar noise and went to investigate, fearing fire or burglars, and found Mr. Persano sitting at his desk, staring into a box which had once contained matches but now contained only a small insect.
Mr. Persano has been taken to a private asylum, where he remains so far unresponsive to any treatment. An additional peculiarity of the case is the fact that no natural scientist to date has been able to identify the worm, caterpillar or larva found in the matchbox.
So there the PCs are, huddled behind a newspaper.
Now that they have a chance, they can find a few things out. They can investigate the house, the housekeeper, and "Isadora Persano." They can try to complete their original mission -- to find out whether the rumor of Redemption is true. They have the demon's name -- Izbak, Impudite of the Game. They even have his Role name -- Professor James Moriarty.
Isadora's life, as befitted his Superior, was never dull, and his trip to Egypt was no exception. While exploring the Pyramids, he found a chamber so far undiscovered by others, easily discovered the secret access, and after satisfying his curiosity, looked around for a souvenir. At this point he was attacked by a Servitor of Death in the vessel of a mummy.
With some difficulty, he defeated the Death-Servitor. Disgusting little worms fell out of the mummy's wrappings. That looked like a souvenir; he caught one, stuffed it into the handiest container, stepped out of the chamber, and threw in several lighted matches for good riddance. Let the archaeologists figure it out.
It took until Isadora got back to London for the Servitor of Death to get out of Trauma, track him down, and catch up with him. He wanted that worm back; it was carrying a specially designed disease that Saminga was planning to send back to civilization with some archaeologist, and he didn't want it to be discovered prematurely. Meanwhile, Isadora heard a juicy and promising rumor of a possible Redemption; he wasn't going to be in town long enough to investigate, so he sent it up the pipeline.
The night after Isadora's return, he and the Death Servitor fought again, this time in celestial form, and this time he soul-killed the Servitor. Unfortunately, the Servitor wasn't quite as dumb as Saminga's brood usually are. When he realized he was losing, he Summoned his Prince. He was dead before Saminga showed up, but Isadora was a Remnant shortly thereafter.
The worm is now in someone's laboratory. It's more or less safe now, but eventually it will go dormant (it won't really die; it's undead) and be thrown away. Hazardous waste disposal is far in the future; the plague will start inconspicuously among "rag-pickers" and those who dispose of garbage, but it will slowly appear elsewhere. Especially if the laboratory throws its waste into the Thames ...
And the rumor of the Impudite's Redemption is just that: a rumor, intended to flush out gullible angels. Therefore, it did not work on Mahazioth, a very busy Elohite Master of Judgement with offices in Baker Street; but then the Impudite didn't really expect it to.
IZBAK
Impudite Knight of the Game
CORPOREAL FORCES 3 Strength 6 Agility 6
ETHEREAL FORCES 4 Intelligence 9 Precision 7
CELESTIAL FORCES 4 Perception 6 Will 10
ATTUNEMENTS: Impudite of the Game, Humanity
DISTINCTION: Knight of Judgement
Vessel: Elderly man/3
Role/6, Status 4: Professor James Moriarty
Skills: Anything you want, but be sure to include Mathematics/6
Songs: Charm (all/3), Entropy (Corporeal, Ethereal), Light
(Ethereal), Shields (Celestial(, Tongues (Celestial)
MAHAZIOTH
Elohite Vassal of Judgement
CORPOREAL FORCES 4 Strength 8 Agility 8
ETHEREAL FORCES 4 Intelligence 10 Precision 6
CELESTIAL FORCES 4 Perception 8 Will 8
Vessel: Human Male/4
Role 6/Status 4 Sherlock Holmes
Attunements: Ofanite of Judgement, Elohite of Judgement
Distinction: Vassal of Conscience
Songs: Form (Ethereal)/3, Healing (All)1, Shields (Celestial)/6,
Tongues (Corporeal)/4
Skills: Almost anything, but be sure to include Musical Instrument
(Violin)/6.
Note: Yes, Isadora used a name humans think of as feminine for his Role name. It's the sort of thing a Servitor of Janus would do.
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