Session 6: Cleaning house/Coming clean

A lot had happened, Atka realized after Illidrex was led off by the guard, Saith and Barnabus (the detectives)... Angus seemed to move everybody along and started cleaning up the place. Atka couldn't get the memory of Lif Calloway's poltergeist's messages of warning, the demons upstairs, almost getting arrested--and almost having to namedrop her lord to get out of it, but she thought better of it.
 
Her thoughts turned to the history of the problem. Glasya...the archdevil with a growing cult apparently. Why had they done this? Everyone knew you don't summon a demon...right? The demon had said something about them breaking a contract. She wondered what contract that was, and if that would come back to haunt them. Hm, she thought.
 
Illidrex returned with all of his weapons some time later (was it really the next day already?) and he thanked Angus for the protection, and promised to have his back. After his return the group really seemed to relax. Jain, who must have been boiling over with anticipation, asked if they'd all like to go to his distillery down the road. Atka said she would if he bought her drinks. Jain obliged and even made her a cocktail when they got there.
 
The night quickly turned tense for Atka though... Jain asked Orion just how he was able to feel like something bad was going to happen and how he made the portal disappear by saying "Fuck the gods." It hadn't occurred to Atka that it was weird until Jain asked... Orion began to spin a tale that Tieflings had a long devilish lineage that he tapped into and harnessed to receive warnings and such. I guess Atka's face (and comments) said it all, because any time Orion said, "Tiefling" anything, she felt eyes on her dispelling the idea. Illidrex attempted to verify with her, asking if her grandfather's grandfathers were devils.
 
Unbelievably, she shook her head and replied, "Uncle." Then she waved her arms when he was about to question and shook her head attempting to dismiss it. Atka felt the suspicion in Illidrex, and worried that he'd find her out through his own intelligent intuition and out her to everyone and Angus would end her or something due to the risk she posed. Fear rose within her and she whispered for Illidrex to come talk with her in another room.
 
She unloaded everything. Her devil lineage. That she had a twin that she suspected was succumbing to devilish influence. How he had killed those blacksmiths, how he threatened her, the Neverembers, and her friends (them)... how she worried it was happening to her. Illidrex admitted that he didn't know how to help and recommended that she use the code word of "Ideal" in a terse voice if she felt that Mamnen was nearby and hostile, and that she talk to Angus. Atka got scared a bit and expressed that Angus reacted so poorly with anyone who made mention of devils and demons, and she actually had a direct link. Illidrex reassured her that he would likely help and offered to go with her.
 
So, they went together to Angus. With Illidrex's help and direction, Atka reiterated everything to Angus. She felt the severity in his voice when he was questioning her. Did she hear devil voices in her? No, but Atka admitted to her dreams and feelings about her brother. He offered to teach her about controlling her emotions, and his mentor's help in "protecting her mind." Atka thanked him. She wanted anything to preserve herself from becoming like her brother. Angus carefully warned though, that Mamnen, her twin, may be too far gone to be saved and he may need to be taken out. Atka nodded, thanked him again, and let that thought roll around in her head. She wasn't strong enough to kill her brother. She didn't know if they all could, because she didn't know the extent of his ability. Atka knew that if that were to happen, they'd have to fight dirty with dirt.