Through the Breach Campaign Document part 4: the Plot

The Instigator: Randal Kreps. A small time operator and bit caster with a couple of magic tricks has been making forays into the Quarantine Zone in hopes of finding an unclaimed library where he can boost his cast of spells. He has been slightly successful. He’s found some books that have given him one or two new spells and formula.

He hit it big a month ago when he found a mostly intact tome that went over the existence of a large library. There were some clues that the library was found inside the city of Malifaux but held no concrete directions or landmarks. There were one or two clues that led Randal to look for other tomes and volumes that might cover the subject. The library was so obscure that Randal was able to find several book in local stores and markets that helped him advance his study. His research turned up very little new information.

Until a month ago when he was scavenging in the Quarantine Zone. He came across a small study in the skeletal remains of an old house. The area had been exposed to the weather and the contents were mostly ruined. But he did find most of one book that spoke of the library in question. The book also included some of the instructions of a ritual to summon a guide to the library.

Using the unfinished ritual in the book, and some research he’d done in other tomes Randal chose a secluded location and performed the ritual. It worked. A beast called a sin eater appeared before him and set off towards the library through a wall. Randal was unable to follow and became frustrated. The ritual said that the beast would head to the entrance and make its location known to the caster.

After several days of waiting and more research Randal tried again. Choosing a new location in the direction he believed the first demon traveled he prepared a new ritual. The same thing happened. A Sin Eater appeared and moved off in the direction of the Library. Randal followed as long as he could but again the demon moved in a way that Randal couldn’t follow.

He waited, researched some more, and tried again. This time making sure that he performed the ritual in a wide open location with lots of freedom to move around. Unfortunately, it was a bit too wide open and drew the attention of the authorities. Specifically Sonnia Crid. It did not go well for Randal.

What Went Wrong: Randal’s version of the ritual was corrupted. More specifically, rotted. Passages were missing and broken down. While enough of the ritual was intact and he was able to summon the Sin Eater guide, its purpose was to only show the caster the last portion of the route and to open the gateway. The part of the ritual that was missing was the location to cast the spell. Without it Randal was starting in a location that was too far from the door.

The Sin Eaters have been moving towards the door, but they need to feed. This is why every six days one of them stops and kidnaps someone. It then spends the next few days devouring their sins and souls before resuming its journey to the door.

Once the first demon arrives it will open the door and return to its home plane its mission complete. The second Sin Eater will arrive at the door find it open and be released from its binding. However, since it won’t have opened the door it will not return home and take residence in the library. It won’t live long though.

The Prize: The Library is certainly a prize to be held by any mage of significant power and time. The books with in are impressive. Many tomes featuring long lost secrets of machines, magic, and the harvesting of Soul Stones. The things here are impressive and if found will be hotly contested. However, there is also a resident.

The Resident: A being has been imprisoned in the library. He’s been trapped there for some time and is quite anxious to leave. Fortunately, it’s weakened by millennia of starvation. The Sin Eater will give it some energy and even if no second Sin Eater arrives it will still be able to amass power from the life force of the various creatures found in the labyrinthine sewers under Malifaux. Eventually it will even find a showgirl to possess.

Where Doctor Beaufort comes in: Beaufort has been investigating a Soul Stone smuggling operation. The investigation has brought him to Malifaux as he suspected it would. His original theory was that the Ten Thunders were behind the operation but developments have led him to believe that someone else is responsible. One of his contacts/suspects disappeared while he was looking into their background. (A victim of the Sin Eater.) While trying to discern who may have been responsible for the man’s disappearance he learned of others.

Believing they may have been connected to his case he looked deeper into the missing people. That’s when he began to track the pattern. While learning more details of the missing people he came to the conclusion that something supernatural was responsible. Being outside of his purview he looked to experts to offer aid in this adventure.

Soul Stone Smuggling: Mickey “Big Mic” Flannery is a mine foreman who’s been dipping into the till. During a survey trip to find a route for the railroad to a new mine he found a small breach to Earthside that opened near his home in Ireland. After some soul searching and questionable accident that left him the expedition’s only survivor he decided to enrich himself and a select few loyal friends. They’d been skimming only enough to make money at first being careful to spend very little of it so as not to draw attention to themselves. However, as so often happens Big Mic has a cousin who can’t follow orders.

The group was small at first focusing on small shipments of a couple of stones. Eventually it grew to ship other things and people who wanted out of their union contracts. Since its beginnings the group has grown from six people to nearly thirty with a few errand boys and contacts who don’t know exactly what’s going on but appreciate the money enough to look the other way.

The Inevitable Clash: Big Mic is well aware of Doctor Beaufort looking into his organization. He also worried that they may be getting a bit big for their own good. He’s worried about the Ten Thunders, the Guild, and the Union finding out what he’s doing. The courier that died wasn’t one of their inner circle and knew only a couple of go betweens but he knew something. Big Mic is certain Doctor Beaufort didn’t kill him. He’s less sure about the other groups. The only thing that makes him think this has been a random act of violence so frequently found in Malifaux is his awareness of two of the other disappearances. Both were members of the Ten Thunders and he’s nearly certain they wouldn’t have killed their own people; nearly certain.

Big Mic will probably insert himself into the investigation through an intermediary. He’s interested in seeing where it leads but has enough respect for the forces of Malifaux that he’s going to try and stay out of it as much as possible. However, with people watching the PC’s it’s possible that he’ll find out about the library and the things found inside. At this point Big Mic is looking for a way to quickly and quietly retire to the home lands. A quick score from the library could help that. Though he won’t try and confront anyone directly, he might watch from a distance and then slide in afterwards and walk away with something.

In addition to this is the Velvet Crane. Since some of the people who have disappeared were members of the Ten Thunders and Doctor Beaufort has suddenly been investigating those missing men the Thunders are worried that he’s looking into their organization. While the Ten Thunders is an ongoing file he keeps he doesn’t believe that they are responsible for the smuggling or the disappearances. Crane would prefer to watch the Doctor and see what he can learn but a higher up who’s new to the position and looking to cement his station has sent down orders to “intervene.” This led to Crane sending Jake Tanner to leave the amulet in the Beaufort Manor.

Over time Velvet Crane will most likely introduce himself to Beaufort and the characters. Especially, if he feels they have similar intentions. If he learns of the library he’ll end up going after it. Not because he wants to but because his superior will decide it’s a good idea. Crane is leery of the things that one might find there and would prefer to have one of his agents in the Guild deal with it. However, his superior will want a more direct hand. Crane could tip his hand to the PC’s to avoid getting involved.

The Quarantine Zone:

Since some of the investigation will take place in the Quarantine Zone and the sewers as an extension, a bit about them. The area is extremely dangerous because it hasn’t been reclaimed. The official story is that the buildings are in wide disrepair and in danger of collapsing. The area is decrepit and prone to collapses, sink holes, and people becoming lost among the maze like structure of crumbled buildings and streets. Technically, this is all true.

However, the official story leaves a little bit out. The area is filled with lost libraries, laboratories, and workshops. The Guild is interested in keeping these to themselves and work hard to keep people out.

The area is also full of Ghosts, undead, Ressurrectionists (necromancers), criminals, and wild beasts. And Hamlin far more powerful interties. As such the Guild is keenly interested in keeping people away from the area and certain death.

That’s it for today. I think one more prep bit. The heavy hitters of Malifaux who may become involved in the mystery. I’ve mentioned a couple already, such as Sonnia Crid. There are some others who come to mind and how they all fit in.