Today was the day I learned the depths of human despair.

Dara and I organized the camp while Natalya and Marika attempted to find the main camp the Migou belonged to, to no avail. Smith was still limping his way back to us when the ground shook and the air was filled with a cacophonous explosion. From our vantage point in the foothills we could see over the forested land to Mt St Helen which was in the throes of a serious eruption.

As Marika and Natalya were headed back to camp we received orders to investigate the eruption. Dara had already redirected his drone to do just that and we were prepping for an investigatory pass in any event.

Dara's drone spotted a suspicious shadow, one look at it and I knew - a Migou Dragonfly - a stealth mech often used in reconnaissance missions. The Dragonfly was surveying the eruption, but soon it had gathered the data it needed and it head off, Dara's drone following quietly behind. It led to an established modular Migou base.

I constructed a plan.
Marika would stand in overwatch position as the base was nestled in a ravine - she would disable the Dragonfly should the base become alerted.
Natalya would standby to assist extraction in the same event.
Smith, Dara and I would sneak into the base and attempt to gather intel on its purpose. We would use {restricted} to bend light to render us invisible, but I wouldn't be able to hold it for long.

We approached and Smith took it upon himself to probe the mind of the Migou guard outside. He shared the intel we received about numbers of Migou inside and that this base was indeed related to the eruptions in some way...but the blood had drained from his face and he looked like he was about to pass out. I don't want to know what that was like for him.

Unfortunately Dara's skills were insufficient to breach the entrance due to some kind of organic biometric system overseen by an AI that Dara didn't want to alert. Disheartened we decided to get out of there and reformulate a plan, when the guard decided to step inside - inserting an 'appendage' into a hole in the wall and the door irised open - we quickly followed behind.

We moved towards the centre of the structure. At one point having to squeeze against the wall to avoid the detection of a passing guard. I cycled Dara as being visible/not visible to open the door into the central area. We cautiously proceeded.

Inside was a largish anteroom chamber. At the far end a window was built into the wall, allowing site to some kind of transdimensional generator/engine - to behold it was to question one's own position in the cosmos, like a sinking vertigo. Above this room looked to be some kind of control room. Dara atttemted to remotely hack the systems inside but found no storage devices and in his searching came to the attention of the AI which tripped the alarms.

Two guards came out of the control room and we hid as a third one came from behind us. We followed the third one out and confronted it in the corridor dispatching it relatively quickly. Natalya was called in and the pilot was heading to the Dragonfly. Marika was given the all clear to destroy the Dragonfly and its pilot.

Dara reckoned the engine was building up to something and that it was probably the cause of the eruptions. A third one had to be averted. Dara attempted to disconnect it's power using his mind but we later discovered he was just removing the control signals.

Smith tried destroying the glass and the wall around the engine with grenades, but it was too tough.

We received imperative orders from control to get as much data as possible and destroy the engine.

We stormed the control room. Natalya blowing a grave wind in before us she quickly moved from guard to guard slicing and dicing them as they were peppered with small arms fire. They didn't last. Also in the room were Migou officers/scientists who seemed to be ready to ingest some noxious liquid. I shot one vial shattering it and spilling its contents and Dara snatched the other out of the scientist's hand with his telekinesis.

There were storage devices, I report. These devices looked exactly like human brains. Knowing the Migou that's almost certainly what they are. But despite Dara's interest in this, I was drawn to the monitors studying them for useful intelligence. That's when I noticed the video of the Hive ship. It took two or three looks before I realized it wasn't in orbit around the moon. This was another Hive ship, as best I could tell, it was in transit. I despaired, it must be heading here - where else would they be interested in sending one?

While Natalya and I processed this, Dara and Smith had used retro-cognition and tech skills to work out how to operate the gesture based operating system well enough to turn the engine off.

Today was the day I learned the depths of human despair. And I can speak nothing of it outside this report.

---

2086 - the year that humanity's despair became tangible, the year that despair was kept absolutely secret. The NEG losses were almost universal from China to Alaska, and it was sure to get worse and will probably never get better again.

Neo-Penthu's Journal

We arrived back at my place, urgently looking for a secure base to regroup and reevaluate the position we were in. We also needed to allow for Max-Isu's khat time to heal while his Ba faced judgement. After double checking the locks, we rested ourselves. Clearly Luxor was in greater peril by a much more potent enemy than we had anticipated.

With Ra's blessing we awoke to the manifestation of Geb, Max's spirit companion. He advised us that Max had faced the Judges and had returned from Duat. Even now we wait for his full resurrection. Professor Gamil has said that the time this can take varies, dependent on the power of Max's Ba soul.

Max made his way to my new home soon enough, he told us stories of how dangerous the land of the dead was - full of storms and roving bands of armed ghosts.

We discussed our predicament at some length and decided that since we seem to be at a disadvantage in potency we might make up for that by way of gaining information. The maxim, knowledge is power, may become our motto. Clearly while we may have resurrected into healthy bodies, they were still all too fragile as Max had proven. Even Nazariah has wounds that make me wince.

Rising up, I went to Azim's abode once more, thinking that knowing his mortal contacts may prove useful. Back on my feet, I thought about death once more: so many times it happens so fast you trade your passion for glory. One should not lose one's grip on the dreams of the past; one must fight just to keep them alive.

It's the Eye of the Horizon,
It's the thrill of the fight,
Rising up to the challenge of our rival.
And the last known survivor
Stalks his prey in the night,
And he's watching them all
With the Eye of the Horizon.

While I watched remotely, Max watched spiritually unbeknowest to me. I thought he had gone to see some Osiris worshiping ghosts and had stayed there - but he had taken the initiative to do some intel gathering of his own. Little happened, Azim had been out earlier and returned to some beefed up security detail. Probably a little nervous after the audacious attack on their elder.

Meantime, Nazariah investigated our last known location for another Set worshiping devil -
Ghaffar. It was at a Sufi mosque/study centre. In its bowels all scraps of personal property of Ghaffar's was taken. However, hidden behind a bookcase was the entranceway to a modest Temple to Set, a fully darkened room - protected against the sunlight the Followers of Set despise so very much.

Professor Gamil gave us warning that the police seemed to be on the lookout for a group of people who matched our description in association with an assault charge. It seems the avoidance of official medical care was to the benefit of the group: our description was circulated to local hospitals along with possible injuries we might have sustained. Thankfully the cult has at least one member who works within a hospital.

Nazariah and I then went on a mission of utmost importance: The retrieval of Max's motorbike. I cannot fully speak of this in my journal, as words have power as you well know. An encrypted 16-page report of this crucial intelligence can be acquired with the necessary passcodes from Professor Gamil or myself.

Max kept himself occupied at Azim's overhearing a phone conversation that may well have been about us

if they are spotted or brought in let me know

We began to formulate a new plan. On the Setite witch's sarcophagus were many inscriptions. The outside was the normal funeral writings but we calculated a clue to a name may be found within. I strongly warned of the dangers of the mission. While it have been the case that she had sought out a new still hidden sanctuary - it is also possible that she had doubled her security measures after the attack instead.

We decided that Nazariah would go back, in the form of her ka. For reasons of his own, Max decided he'd tag along. As it turns out this was a good idea. In order that they might see in dark places, Nazariah learned a new spell: Ghost Lantern; it would allow them to illuminate in the spirit world.

So we parked up as close as the road went and Nazariah left the confines of her body as I steadfastly defended it from harm. They returned to the resting place of the Setite elder and found it had been thoroughly tidied: No sign of the struggle that took place here previously was visible. The previously animated statues now stood still in their shattered alcoves. Nazariah pushed her head and shoulders into the sarcophagus, and there she could see the writings within. It is embarrassing to record what happened next, but suffice it to say that Max was needed to read what they said. We found a name for our nemesis. As for the nemesis herself? Absent, fled to some dark and unspeakable hiding place, no doubt.

The name was Anat. Presumably this was a sobriquet as, I remember in my studies with the Cult of Isis, Anat was a wife of Set. I even remembered that this name was recorded in their archives with reference possibly to the Red Temple of Thebes.


Armed with this knowledge we returned to hidden Cult of Isis library beneath the Coptic Chapel of the Virgin Mary and drawing upon the memories of academic studies from my first life I quickly located the reference. I summarize our findings thusly:

She was the last of the formidable elders of the Theban court [red temple of thebes], said to have been embraced in the time of Ptolemy VII (2nd Century BCE, I believe) but spent much of her time in the sleep of ages. Once her city began to decline she began a practice of sleeping in torpor out in the desert and only waking every few centuries. It was believed that she eventually fled south after a conflict with a group of Arabian undead. A member of the Shemsu-Heru was in town with the Cult at the time and saw no reason to intervene, pleased that the dangerous and elusive elder had been driven away by a lesser evil.

There was also a legend attached that many centuries ago she has removed her heart with the arts of her clan and then made a deal with a group of power hungry mortal mages to enchant it so that she cannot die until it is destroyed and then to hide it away in the dark, the mages were then tricked and betrayed - killed so none would know [The legend is sourced from one of their retainers who went on to join the cult of isis].

Memories from the first life

Back in Thebes, the plot was growing dark and thick. We were all of us, invited to meet with High Priest Amenhotep at the temple of Karnak at night by Nomarch Khayan. I decided that discretion was probably required so declined to advise my mistress of the meeting.

We met outside of the temple, and Heruhotep told us of some useful information to be shared at the meeting and that Heruhotep had been given a stern talking to by a senior Priest of Anubis about asking awkward questions.

It wasn't just a the High Priest, with him was a younger man named Seshet-kheru - a wandering priest of Horus. During the discussion that followed between us, Heruhotep revealed her chilling news. She had uncovered the purpose of the hem-ka-shabti rite. It's superficial effect is the housing of a soul of the recently deceased in a shabti figure, but that is nothing compared with what this implies. Whomever said certain prayers over the shabti figure would have at their disposal whatever abilities and influence the person possesed in life.

This was meant to be used to preserve the knowledge and influence of trusted servants, but with the vizier's planned prayer ceremony at the funeral: could it be he plans to steal the pharaoh's influence and perhaps then ascending to the throne?

Isu reported smelling frankincense, (odour el-Libyan) on another occasion, but to be frank I was paying more attention to the Nomarch's impressive beer swigging at the time so I didn't quite catch the context - I think he was talking to the Vizier about something.

We decided that we could not allow the Vizier to grab that much power and we would do what we could to interfere with his plans, but to not reveal our intentions to him until the last possible moment. How we hoped to achieve that I do not know, I have a feeling that together we might just be able to pull this off.

But, I must inform my mistress of this dark treachery. If things go wrong, and the Vizier succeeds but knows that I tried to stop him, the consequences would be dire for both of us.

---

Apologies to Steve who won't have time to have read this.

The coterie continued their investigations into Pentex and Mars electronics, possibly getting a subpoena to access the locked records at Town Hall. Tying them together with Werewolves in some fashion they began a dangerous hunt for an Interview with a Werewolf. They found two, one 'Glass Walker', named 'Miss Moonbeam' and the other a group that existed at a place called 'The Fanum'.

Miss Moonbeam seemed willing to talk, and it was Danior that was sent as representative since he was the deemed least likely to incite Rage. She confirmed Pentex were essentially an dark corporation of pure evil and that mastery of 'other realms' was necessary to take them on.

The Fanum group seemed much less inclined to talk, and Danior was chased out of the building by an enraged monster.

Riverthrush seemed to have calculated the date of arrival of the Circus: New Years Eve.

Thomas found out some specifics of strange events at the Circus from a newspaper clipping Critias gave her. Alcohol related deaths of employees, strongly voiced disabilities activist groups changing their minds after a 'talk' with Dervyn Cavendish the ring master, fatal heart attacks in performances..."But there's nothing like it. Who wouldn't bargain away their very soul for a day and a night at the Olde Time Lunar Carnival and Midnight Circus?", comments Cavendish.

And radio conservative radio jockey, Rod Lightner, started some weird things when their radio turned itself on...

"...end times are coming - harbinged by the coming of an antichrist. A dark ringleader for a dark circus...{etc}...I'll be holding an exclusive party in honour of the start of the end times on January 3rd..." and the radio silenced itself.

Reg found himself suddenly surrounded in his haven. Dozens of armed men were clearly looking for him. Since fighting was out of the question he tried to squeeze past them without them noticing, but it was not to be and Reg was shot and staked.

With dawn not too distant, Gideon gave up the hunt and returned to the city via a Citroen stolen from a farm. Gideon crashed somewhere and waited for the sun to set again.

November 2, 1992

But shortly before the sun set, Thomas' body half on its side, rollle slightly and pushed the stake a little out of his heart. Slowly he mustered his will to remove the stake, and slowly he succeeded and went about the task of unstaking the others, including Reg. They were in a low, damp cave scattered with bodies. Vitally, although unstaked, did not wake. They searched the bodies, one of them had a pocket watch monogrammed "UT", and symbol of the office of Justicar. Could this be the Justicar that was sent to take over the investigation of the masquerade breaches?

Finally they gathered their courage and as the sun set they made there way out of the cave. To be confronted by yet another pack of Lupines, those that had attacked them last night were but corpses in the grass. The apparent leader stepped forward and quizzed them. Once it became clear they were hapless, they were sent back to Milwaukee city with the threat that if if the Leeches couldn't clear up their own mess - the Lupines would force the issue.

Then they headed back to the Prince's haven and met up with Gideon. They spoke briefly and decided to speak with the Prince, and maybe then try and find the Anubis...

They were shown into a reception room, in which all the fittings and furniture had been removed or covered. The gathering of gunmen had been cloaked. But soon almost a dozen men with automatic guns at short range began to fire at them - once again they had been ambushed! And this time in the Prince's haven!

They desperately fought, some gunmen did die. Thomas fell under gunfire - the others to a monstrous gollumn like creature clearly using obfuscatory powers to inject them with an unknown agent that slowly overwhelmed their senses.

They awoke in a small dark cell. Injured, and short on blood they hatched an escape plan. Since Thomas chained to the wall with unbreakable chains - they would rip of his arms and legs. And so Vitally, Gideon and Reg descended on Thomas and began to tear chunks of flesh and skin from him - gnawing through the limbs causing Thomas unbearable agony. Finally, unable to support the weight of his body, the arms tore free and the Quadraplegic spasmo-cannibal splotted agonisingly into a pool of his own vitae and flesh.

Before waking up, staked and lying on the ground along with the others in the same cell. The door was opened and a necromantic green fire in a stone brazier could be seen in the next room. Above it, dangled the body of a woman - her hair beginning to shrivel and her dessicated skin scorching. Beyond the macarbre sight was the hunched figure of Prince Merik who began to recuont the names of those he had killed each time finishing with "I can never forget." Four hundred and twenty two was his total. Finally he confessed to killing his wife, predicted he would be destroyed for it and opined "Oh - I hope they don't forget." as they fell back into a slumber.

And awoke in a cage, different this time. The smell of popcorn in the air. They briefly explored their new surroundings - the cage was covered in a thick sheet and it was difficult to ascertain the time of day. A crowd was nearby. Eventually the sheet was removed and they found they were at a circus, and it was the middle of the night. An extravagant Carnie wearing a ringmaster's outfit described the vicious monsters in the cage and a puppy was presented to the prisoner's. Gideon extradicted the doomed canine immediately. The crowd dispersed as the coterie began smashing their way out of the cage floor. Once free they made teir way into the mass of tents and amusements, coming to an unusual sight. Two tents, one labelled with their base or immediate desires - another with a sign that read "The Truth". Blocking their way was a sandwich board which contained the single word, "OR".

You want the Truth?

They chose the Truth, over slaying Annabelle, acquiring weapons and slaking their thirst. The tent was empty but for one corner that was a studio set of an opulent study. Behind the desk sat a Mediterranean man in simple clothes. He introduced himself as 'Paulos', a Brujah; the Bloodless Animal Man first referenced in Session VI and it was his body they rescued from the Hunter's grasp in Session VIII and it was his power of Dominate that caused them to lose a portion of their memory and to find themselves at the doorstep of Lodin's kidnapper - Roarke, who had subsisted off Paulos torpid blood and whose actions had gotten them tangled in local Kindred politics in the first place. And yea - if Anthonio were present he might have also mentioned that it was his blood that Anthonio consumed to give him the stunning powers of Auspex that were vital in rescuing Lodin before he was devoured by rats.

Paulos went on - he was still in torpor, at the place they buried him which he was not going to tell them. They had been injected by a powerful supernatural psychotropic developed by Saul Osiecki, a hunter with strange powers they met at the Succubus Club in Session XIV. It was meant to merely allow Paulos to communicate directly with users while he was still torpored, but Saul weaponized it.

But, said Paulos, the coterie was exposed and he had time to talk. So talk he continued to do. He was being hunted by a Toreador who he named "Maria". He had thought had escaped her in the New World - but she was not contented and followed him here. He asked that when the time came, they would side with him, since she was the aggressor. He confessed to manipulating them, along with members of the Primogen, including Annabelle who he named as one of his pawns that Maria thought was one of her pawns.

Paulos believed it was she that was responsible for the attack on the Nosferatu, and that she was using a particularly evil group of Werewolves called Black Spiral Dancers to do her deed. Khalid had hidden himself from Paulos, and presumably Maria was ignorant of him for some time too. Paulos hypothosized that she found out about the paranoid Nosferatu and sought his destruction out of fear that he was one of Paulos' tools. He also very definitely did say that if you want to find the BSDs that were responsible, look for a place and time like the one they were in.

He advised them the time for choices was close, that Maria's actions against the Nosferatu were just the first move of her end game - so overt were they compared with the years past. He was trying to awaken, but feared the consequences to those that were unfortunate enough to be nearby when he did. But if he didn't she would find him and destroy him. He didn't know much about Milwaukee and the situation there, other than that which he could extract from their minds. He deduced the Prince had gone quite mad and they were certainly in peril of Final Death. He wished them well, and they faded to black.

They awoke in the cell. Unstaked and unchained. The door opened and six mortals roughly shoved into the cell. A sequence of frenzies began - Thomas notable amongst them began to maul into a teenage boy. The room was filled with screams, sobbing, crying, anguished gargles and the shouts of frenzying Kindred and their coterie mates trying to stop them. They soon fell asleep.

They awoke in darkness in a closed space lying down. They found themselves 'sliding' backwards into a stark white light. A loved one and a doctor looked over them, but they were paralysed and could not speak out. Their loved ones confirmed their identity and they were slid away again accompanied by the sobs of those they had left behind. The scene shifted, they were on a hill side covered in graves. Before they had much chance to converse, the bodies burst forth from their graves. Each stone had a name of a victim of one coterie member or another. Most of them stood still and allowed the scene to play its course - but Thomas ran like hell pursued him at his heels. Through glen and forest he ran. Pursued endlessly by the mauled dead he had sent screaming to the grave. Finally he was caught like a fox in a spotlight - a pack of werewolves had him dead to rights.

But then he awoke. Again in the cell - they all came around. An elderly man opened the cell door and began to wheel in various medical instruments on a trolley. They bowled him over, and Thomas slit his throat with a scalpel. They charged up the stairs, took care of the guard at the door to the cellar and then began a firefight with the rest of them. Gideon began to slake his thirst, Thomas began to open fire and Vitally threw furniture and took cover before dealing with the rearguard. Reg snuck out back and returned to smash through the front door with a brick/pedal Macguyvered car. Once the threats had been dealt with they looked to one another and tried to figure out...where next? But they were cut off from further thought by a loud explosion outside...