RubyRayMoralesSmall.jpg[  Author’s Note: This is the episode synopsis for the 22nd session of the Dark Waters Rising campaign. This is my take as to what happened during the session. Please let me know if there are any comments or corrections.  ]

Questioning Lucille
Anne and Alastair meet the rest of the team at Lucille’s apartment. After quickly searching the place they ask about Eugene. She quietly tells the group the following story.

She was walking home from the Canteen at the Powell Chemical Company when a freak lightning story started. In the glow of a lightning strike she saw Eugene speaking to two ghosts at the cemetery. The ghosts were Eugene’s dead wife and daughter! She could hear the ghosts imploring Eugene to expose the lies that this community has been harboring so that they could rest. When the ghosts disappeared Eugene collapsed in a fetal position. She comforted Eugene by taking him back to her apartment. To her surprise she began to fall in love with Eugene.

The next morning a small bald man with gold rimmed glasses came and visited her. He explained that he knew about the lightning and the ghosts. He told her that the ghosts and lightning were a signal from “heaven”. He continued explaining that all truths would be revealed in an “Ashen Storm”. He convinced her that those that have “offended God” would be punished. He expressed that “reconciliation” would be coming. Even though he never voiced his plan she knew what had to be done. She knew that if her and Eugene collected their blood a creature would appear to enact their revenge. Sabotaging the plant to destroy the Powell family was something that came to her later based on conversations with Eugene.

When she finishes the story the group asks about the killer some 30 years ago. Lucille explains that everyone in Galliano knows who the killer is and that the crime was blamed on the vagrant. The real killer is Jonny Powell the retarded son of the former CEO Anthony Powell. Lucille tells the story of what happened in 1988.

It was a Friday night. Two of the locals had gotten Jonny Powell drunk then worked him up into a “ornery state”. He left the canteen drunk and angry. As she was closing up the Canteen she noticed Anthony walking Jonny from the gates toward the office building. A few minutes later he returned with a cart. At the time her Father was the Sherriff. Her Father knew it was Jonny even though there was not any evidence proving it. He suppressed this information because the scandal would have brought down the Powell Chemical Company. The Powell Chemical Company is the lifeblood of the entire community.

At the end of the interrogation Lucille asks the group to please leave Eugene out of it. Through sobs of relief she tells them that he is a good soul and does not deserve the punishment they will receive. With that the groups asks Lucille to turn herself in to the local police. She agrees.

Rest In Peace
It is a rainy gray morning at Cemetery 1 as six people stand around a simple unmarked coffin. Lapinto, O’Hara, and MD feel uneasy as the older black priest finishes the burial rites. Six’s sister, Louisa, and her daughter watch in silence. When the priest finishes the Christian ceremony he holds up a clay pot then speaks, “The continuity of death and life are sacrosanct. We continue this reclamation of Martin’s soul with the breaking of the govi.” The priest then hand the small pot to Louisa. She steps towards the coffin with her shoulders shaking. She then rears back and hurls the pot at the coffin shattering it! The priest takes a step back and O’Hara gasps in surprise. Louisa turns with fists clenched. A scowl adorns her face. She speaks slowly in in an effort not to explode, “Martin is a good man. He is a man who served his country. He is a man who when he setup his restaurant fed the poor. His death cannot simply fade without his killer being found! This is NOT acceptable!” With that the priest walks away slowly. Lapinto walks forward and says he will have a drink for Six. O’Hara tears up then the two walk away leaving only Louisa, her daughter, and MD. As Louisa turns to leave MD says that he will do what he can to make sure the police keep the investigation open a bit longer. She thanks MD then leaves with her daughter in silence.

The Ashen Storm
Anne gets a call from her formed analyst Shelly. Shelly securely sends a set of files to Anne. The files contain details about red lightning strikes and the emergence of the Ashen Storm. The files are intricate and have editorial comments from Shelly to Anne.

After getting the information Anne takes a picture of Tim Williamson to Galliano and Lucille. She pulls some strings to get a private interview. Anne shows the picture to Lucille who confirms that the bald man that visited her is Williamson.

Tainted Shine
On prompting from MD, Wolfe and Stone examine the moonshine that he took from the site. To their surprise the shine is magical! It contains a swirling mixture of Outer Dark energy mixed with some type of memory altering magic. Results from this testing prompts the hunters to examine not only the source of the moonshine but the distribution of it as well.

Dustin, a friend of MDs who is transporting the illegal alcohol, along with Ron visit the source. The source is a Creole family named Constantine. The Constantine’s are actually old family acquaintances of the Eschete family. At the remote site Ron and Dustin meet Joshua Constantine who appears to be an elder family member. While loading the cases of moonshine Ron attempts to take a peek at the still. He gets a good luck but is spotted by a younger man inside the shack. On the still are some strange symbols. The man in the still, who is named Horatio, is the younger son of Joshua. Horatio accosts Ron and threatens him. Ron quickly grabs the cases of shine then leaves with Dustin.

Back at Dustin’s airboat office the hunters put tracking devices into each case of moonshine. When a van appears to collect the tainted moonshine they attach a vehicle tracker using some fancy telekinesis work from Alastair. The van goes to a high-end restaurant named La Luxure. The place is run by a man named “Ruby Ray” Morales.

The hunters setup a dinner at the restaurant. Once at their table they carefully watch everything that happens at the bar. Behind the bar are purple glass bottles of the magical moonshine. They observe the shine going out as a free tasting to each table. Using his magical sight Stone finds that a slight black glows appear around the heads of the patrons that have tasted the drink. The group also notes that some people, especially physically fit men and women, are given larger glasses of shine on the house. Ruby Ray makes a round of the various tables while the group is dining. When Ruby Ray visits their table he recognizes Stone and compliments him on a talk he heard a few years ago. After a comment hoping the hunters have a nice meal he returns to the bar and his bodyguard. Using his magical sight Stone finds Ruby Ray covered in magic. He has some type of defensive spell running of bokor origin (aka voodoo sorcerer magic) as well as two mana trinkets in his ascot clip and ruby tipped cane. His bodyguard is a hulking black ex-boxer nicknamed Locomotive Mike. Around Mike’s head Alastair observes a ghostly skull. After having dinner the group decided to follow one of the patrons who had an extra glass of moonshine home.

Kenny’s Journal
While Ron and Alastair are waiting at home Ron shows the occult studies professor the notebook he received from Kenny via Danai. Stone is very intrigued by the contents of the notebook but is surprised to find that the portfolio cover is enchanted with some type of listening spell! Alastair then decides the best course of action is to place it into a warded chest so that the spell will not be able to report anywhere. The pair talk about Danai as she is the person who gave Ron the notebook. Ron admits that Danai seemed genuine to him and that her knowledge of Kenny was very detailed. He is not sure what to think about Danai.

Sleep Calling
Anne and MD follow a random La Luxure patron to his house. At exactly midnight he wakes up, gets his cell phone, then calls a number. He says something into the phone, waits for several seconds, replaces the phone on his dresser, then goes back to sleep! Anne and MD then break into the house and steal the phone. After unlocking it using the man’s fingerprint they get the number he called. A quick bit of research reveals the number is owned by Ray Morales. Thinking quickly the group has Stone call the number. A computer voice asks who is calling. Alastair replies with his name then he hears a click and 10 words in a strange language. The words are common objects in Haitian Creole.

The group then ponders their options and where they might lead…