STATIC 23: Gangs & Gods

General Summary

Wherein the Blinkertons discover what the goats both did and did not see

An Audience with the Brethren

The Interdimensional Blinkerton Detective Agency, along with Osborn Moonspark and Skipjack, decided that the best way to figure out who might have blown up Seether's Children was to ask the goats, who see a lot of things that happen in Goatknob. To do so, they needed to seek out the Anatraxan Brethren and ask for a "Seeing." They did so, paying the cost for the ritual. Unfortunately, the Brethren conducting the Seeing couldn't, well, see anything around the Children's Hour during the timeframe when it exploded. Corinna Himmelswander even took it upon herself to cast beast sense to leverage the goat's all-seeing network to no avail. It is almost like there was a more powerful force "blocking" the goat's sight of this particular moment. Strange! And alarming enough that Voyiva--first among the Brethren--decided that a summit of all factions was required, and will be held later that day in the City of Ten Baths--a sauna that serves as a neutral meeting ground for all factions.

Summit in the Baths

This summit started well enough--each of the factions of Goatknob attended with their leadership, stripped down to either nothing or a modest towel to illustrate no ill intent. The Ratkings and Lizardskull's Lot both accused each other of blowing up Seether's Children, of course, and Anatraxan Brethren did their best to explain the curious nature of the lack of goat's sight. The proceedings were interrupted, however, by the true culprit of this mess.
Sketchy Deevs, leader of the Butcher Street Toughs (a minor faction associated with Lizardskull's Lot), declared that the Banished Brother has returned, and that he will assert his will over Goatknob. The Banished Brother happens to be the brother of Anatraxus, Parvatrovis, who was banished by Anatraxus long ago. It seems that he, with the probable help of his mother, Khuldrossa--which is likely why the goats couldn't "see" what was happening, is back and has empowered his followers--the Banished--to take over the district.
At this announcement, members of each faction, loyal to the Banished, turned on their former comrades and "filth elementals" emerged from the bath waters. Realizing that a fight here would be ill-advised, the Blinkertons beat a hasty retreat along with Darvala back to the Ghost Pier to figure out the plan.

Chaos Reigns

Apparently this uprising was all part of a careful scheme, as the district's streets were overrun with the Banished battling the other factions. Their goal became clear--to prevent the other factions from forming an alliance to fight them and destroy them one by one.
Outnumbered and outgunned, the only hope the other factions had for survival was to issue a Challenge--a sacred event in which gangs fight each other to determine who holds sway in the district.
This Challenge is important, because, in Myrgraf, when you kill a king, you do it in the square, so that everyone can see you completely quash his power. You make sure everyone sees you do it. Further, Sketchy Deevs and the Banished can’t decline a Challenge and still expect to assert power in the district. They’ve got to Challenge because Sketchy Deevs, with the newfound support of the Banished Brother, can muster more forces, and more powerful forces, than the other factions—they don’t have time to rely on guile and finesse. And they need all the factions aligned against the might and number of Sketchy’s forces to have any hope of surviving the Challenge.
This plan was further detailed by a conversation Corinna had with Anatraxus, the Librarian of Secrets, who it seems is now aware of Corinna.
To execute the Challenge, though, they need the support of every faction. And to get that support, they need to run through the district to that factions territory. This presents complications, as the district is currently overrun with the Banished. Running to the territory of Lizardskull's Lot caused a confrontation with some strange beholder-like creatures. After Osborn Moonspark convinced Melver Trillmork that this plan was on the up and up, they departed for the territory of the Ratkings and were hunted down by some unsettling dogs dripping with ooze. They outran quite a few of these hounds, but not all.

And That's Where We Left It

We'll see how our heroes handle some ooze hounds during our next session.

Varied & Sundry Details

• Anatraxus is now aware of Corinna Himmelswander. What could this portend?
• Sharkbait was real enamored with Voyiva's whole thing.

Character(s) interacted with

• Voyiva--first among the Chosen of Anatraxus, speaks for Anatraxan Brethren
• Darvala--representative of the Ghost Pier Folk
• Khar Flintale--leader of the Ratkings
• Melver Trillmork--leader of Lizardskull's Lot
• Anatraxus, the Librarian of Secrets
• Sketchy Deevs--former leader of the Butcher Street Toughs, associated with Lizardskull's Lot, now the Champion of the Banished Brother

Report Date

28 May 2023

Primary Location

Goatknob