Editing Invisible Monarchs/Session5 (section)

==Forcas' meeting==
ST:	The diner is closed, but Charon is leaning against the grimy window and casually smoking a crumpled cigarette as he waits for you to arrive.

Forcas:	He dislikes having to drive himself - the irrational fear plaguing him after his accident he has overcome since Awakening and learning to modify his own mind but the bad memories remain - but that is the price of mobility. One day he'll be able to disregard spatial distances, but that day has not yet come.

Forcas:	Approaching the diner after having parked the car Forcas nods to Charon and makes the usual gestures making up the obligatory recognition signs.

Forcas:	"Good evening," he greets the other Guardian. "I hope it's no trouble meeting at this time."

ST:	Charon's hands flicker easily through the signs of recogntion and he stubs out his cigarette on the wall of the diner and tosses it into the street. "No problem." He says, although in truth he looks very tired. "Almost everyone else I could think to call was busy down at the Center, and I thought since you brought him in this might...interest you."

Forcas:	"Absolutely. Hence my calling back as soon as I got back to the sanctum." He frowns. "He hasn't escaped or anything, has he?"

ST:	Charon shakes his head, "No...it's...strange. It's something I've never seen, but it..." he stops and shakes his head, "Well, you should see for yourself. Come on in." He turns and opens the door to the diner, holding it open for you and locking it behind you once you are inside.

Forcas:	"Yes, thank you." Forcas enters the diner and follows Charon's lead.

Forcas:	"Upstairs, right?"

ST:	He nods walks back to the safehouse door and lets you in through that and then leads you up into the Ghost Library, which seems to be in a much more disarrayed state than it was the last time you visited, the filing cabinets wrenched open and papers and cigarette butts scattered all around.

Forcas:	takes in the chaos all around, his expression serious. A break-in? But no, let's not jump to conclusions. Charon will explain.

ST:	Charon looks at the mess and says, "Sorry, I've been living and working here since it started and Mosades is a bit...unfriendly. I think I've got most of it sorted out, but we did lose some of the Library."

Forcas:	"Unfriendly? And capable of making problems despite your bindings on him?"

ST:	Charon nods, "I know. He's...not normal. He...well, see for yourself." He focuses for a moment and you feel the sensation of his mage sight settling upon you and the room seems to darken a moment, leaden currents flowing around the room, your ankles deep in the thick black water and before you, in the center of the room is a...thing. It most resembles three people chained back to back, a bullet hole square in their forehead and cha

ST:	and chains reaching out in every direction from them that clatter as they fitfully stir. They have Mosades face.

Forcas:	almost takes a step back, but gripping his walking stick harder remains standing where he is. "Three, chained together ... that does make sense in a way. But where do the chains lead? Is he still under the control of ... someone?"

ST:	Charon shakes his head, "No. But those aren't my bindings. I think they're a part of him. How he views himself as a mass of obligations. And that's not all. He ate some of the other ghosts." He shakes his head, "No...that's wrong. He absorbed them, made them part of himself."

Forcas:	"This isn't exactly my area of expertise ... I take it that's not something ghosts normally do? Is that inherently bad, beyond the consequence of losing parts of your library?"

ST:	Charon shakes his head, "I don't...I don't rightly know. And it's something I've only vaguely read about. I know spirits can do something similar, one just has to go to Cable House to see that. But he's far stronger than any ghost should be."

Forcas:	"Have you had ghosts of hive-souls before? Since they are Seer instruments maybe the Order has more information on them?"

ST:	Charon shakes his head, "We have plenty of information on hive-souls, but less on their ghosts. The seers try very hard to keep their tools away from us, and are pretty consistent about trapping their ghosts."

Forcas:	"Spirits that are eaten leave part of their self in the one that eats them - does that mean the information of the consumed ghosts is still accessible? In any case it seems obvious that this one should be confined in solitary, away from other ghosts it can consume. If it gets stronger that way ... he could become very hard to contain indeed."

Forcas:	frowns. "If not a threat by himself."

ST:	Charon nods. "Indeed. The only problem is that I can't move him. Not by myself at least. The Order is sending more people over tomorrow to help me move him down to the center but I don't think I can chance distrubing him by myself."

Forcas:	"But he is safely contained for the moment?"

ST:	Charon nods. "As far as I can tell. He was throwing stuff around and pulling on his chains but he seems to have calmed down and I've taken the time to layer as many bindings I can manage on him.

Forcas:	"Is there any way I can help? I know precisely nothing of Death, but ..." Well, Forcas is sort of responsible for Charon being stuck with this monster-ghost.

ST:	Charon nods, "Yes, actually. I was hoping you might be able to convince your Cabalmate to take a look inside the Atheneum for information." He frowns, "I know it's a hell of a thing to ask, but I don't rightly know what else to do."

Forcas:	"About hive-soul ghosts?"

ST:	Charon nods, "Or just about ghosts eating each other. I've never seen this before."

Forcas:	hesitates, then nods. "I'll ask but I can't promise anything. How quickly do you need an answer?"

ST:	Charon shrugs, "I can't say, but there's no rush. Once the others get here and can help me move him we should have plenty of time. Although it'd be nice to know before the Veiled Ball."

Forcas:	A thoughtful look. "I will need to be kept in the loop about developments with Mosades. This relates to my cabal's earlier investigation, so on behalf of the cabal - not the order - such inquiries might be possible." He looks at the chained ghost. "Once he is moved to Center my cabal mates will have no longer access to Mosades. Would you allow me to download the memories relating to his actions and the consuming of other ghosts in particular and pass them on?"

ST:	Charon nods and thinks a moment, "Alright, can do. Go on ahead and do your thing, Warlock."

Forcas:	Touching one finger to Charon's forehead Forcas bestows upon him the capability to partition his mind and his memories, to create a package containing only the memories he wants to pass on.

Forcas:	Once the other Guardian is finished compiling the package the Warlock casts two more spells in quick succession, carefully pronouncing a phrase in High Speech for the last one.

ST:	Charon nods and closes his eyes, then nods again, "Ready."

Forcas:	Images flow rapidly from the prepared container to Forcas, a stream of memories that will need some sorting out later on. There is the brief impression of a 'Copying ...' dialogue window, then all is done.

ST:	Charon blinks then smiles, "Alright. Let me know what you can find out. I'll keep you updated on the situation." He yawns and sighs, "Well, thanks for dropping by."

Forcas:	nods "Thanks, I will. Until then, don't let him eat you, alright?"

ST:	Charon nods, "I promise." He grins and rubs his eyes, "I'll lock up behind you."

Forcas:	Out on the street he shakes Charon's hand before making his way back to the car. By now he is tired as well. Once he returns it's time to sleep ... for an hour or two.