9: And the Monster of Amristar Chapters 1-2
Chapter 1: Diagon Alley
We open in Diagon Alley. The PCs can meander, but there are
a few key scenes for the major arc.
Who is that strange man?
Also present that day will be Dr. John Plain, who is walking
furtively around, taking notes, taking pictures of things, and otherwise trying
not to be noticed. He is wearing wizarding robes over muggle clothes. Once one
of the PCs notices him his behavior will be suspicious indeed. He knows enough
to not be one of the slack jawed Muggle parents, but is obviously doing some
sort of spying while trying to not be noticed. If they actively approach him
he'll do his best to get away without speaking to them. Eventually the PCs will
lose sight of him as he ducks into some shop or another. Basically, he's here
to establish his presence on the scene for later.
A Present for Pollux
Titania Dee is bringing her twins to the Alleys to buy each
of them a pet as a going away present (Castor will have a perfectly normal pet,
unless he does something that will get him in trouble in the Alleys itself).
After nothing in the Magical Menagerie
or Eelyops Owls meets with Pollux
approval she leads them to Genus' Exotic
Beasts at just inside Knockturn Alley. There Pollux is able to find his
familiar Bess, who is marked with a very high price. When they ask about the
prices they're told the price on the cage is it, no exceptions. As Mrs. Dee
prepares herself for a hard bartering session an exotic bird in the bay window
sings a doggerel "The kettle called the pot Black, but the Blacks blood is
true, so the pot burned the kettle and shoved him up the flue!"
At that the proprietor, Genus Doddington declares that good heavens
this cat climbed into the wrong cage, that's not her price! Bess promptly leaps
into Pollux arms and Titania happily hands over the much smaller amount. As
they exit Professor Jiadayl Kettleburn, the very tall & oddly robed (he
always wears a multi-layered tunic to hide his four extra arms) Hindu wizard
who is the Care of Magical Creatures professor at Hogwarts enters. The exotic
bird in the window will screech "Hello Professor Kettleburn, and a nice
day to flue!" as he enters. Kettleburn gives Bess a scrutinizing glare.
If the PCs contrive to overhear the exchange - what self-respecting
PC wouldn't? - they'll hear Kettleburn lay into Doddington about trafficking
invasive, threatened or dangerous species: Ice Toads, Grymalkin, Tebo, etc.
Doddington smiles and offers to let Kettleburn search the shop. Just got some
eohippus in from Foundation and he has some great Knockers, but Doddington
would never keep creatures that Kettleburn would take off to be destroyed!
"Not being the animal lover I am!"
This is in part to establish the COMC professor as a
potential foil - rigid, unbending, at odds with Pollux' cat, who really is a
Grymalkin, whatever that means.
Charms to Soothe the Savage Breast
Meanwhile, a logical place for the girls to meet up is at Tenora's Instruments, full of
instruments of all types. Daisy is there to get fresh strings for her violin,
and has naturally dragged Jasmine along. I expect Juliet will also be there,
giving the girls an opportunity to chat. They will also see Chrysalis Briar,
who will be talking to the proprietor in a casual tone about pipes that will
give anyone who hears them rhythm. "My father swore by them, said they
were the only thing that saves his feet from mother's love of spike
heels." Chrysalis won't stop to talk to the PCs, but she won't be rude
about it either.
Olivander's
Juliet will be brought to Olivander's to get her wand, and
she will have a very brief initial run in with Peri. Mr. Olivander is his usual
creepy self, but while the PCs might read into this, he's just really creepy.
The Undulata Family
All the PCs families converge on the ice cream parlor, where
a school acquaintance between Mrs. Dee and Mr. Moore gets them to talking and
the children all at one table. Their table will be crashed by Paracelsus
Undulata. Peri will try to make comments to the girls about houses similar to
Malfoy's - especially Hufflepuff. She will also cozy up to the twins, knowing
that the Dee family is long time Slytherin.
Peri is a gangster's moll in training, but with a wide mean streak. Mrs.
Undulata, on the other hand, will have a quiet tiff with Titania about Mr. Dee
and how he betrayed the house with his actions on the Wizengamot. She will then
huff out (possibly spilling a drink all over Mrs. Dee) dragging the clueless
and cruel Peri with her.
Behind Gambol and Japes
This scene over,
Titania is seething as well, and Mr. Moore will suggest that Daisy take the
children down to Gambol & Japes while the adults clean up - she is a
prefect, after all. This is an excuse to
get the PCs away from the adults so that the real mystery bit can happen.
That being the meeting between Olaf & Slaughter, taking
place behind the second hand robes shop, which is right next to Gambol &
Japes! Either the PCs will find the side door on their own, or they’ll overhear
something, or Bess will hop out and run off, forcing the PCs to follow. In any
event they will see an tall man wearing a memorable purple cloak with blue
runes, his face deeply lined and leathery, his features distinctly English, his
eyes with slight cataracts, talking to a large, broad shouldered man whose back
is to them.
The PCs will, with successful Notice or Mischief rolls, be
able to overhear several interesting things.
1) the man in front of them is named Olaf, and he's on the
run from the Aurors. He's looking for help from the man facing them, named Reg.
2) Reg is also hiding, but everyone thinks he's dead. Olaf
found him via divination. Olaf makes a comment about how Reg looks exactly the
same as he had - how can he do that and stay hidden?
3) Olaf is blackmailing Reg for help, threatening to give
away his aliveness. He also marvels at how Reg managed to get somewhere that
he'd be able to both stay hidden and have access to the most well stocked magic
labs this side of Durmstrang.
4) Olaf wants not just to stay hidden, but to use Reg's
access to perform other dark arts such as a Tempust.
Reg starts to quash this idea when the two men, who have
been warily circling each other fully swap places. Olaf spots the PCs and lets
out a roaring spell - Pedium Olular -
that will hurl the PCs back, partially blind those of Size 2+ and KO those of
Size 1. The next round he follows up with a fire gout that hopefully Daisy will
defect. That sets off mass of smoke,
explosions and fire-works from Gambol & Japes. Confusion will reign for
seconds, followed by the sound of Professor Briar's voice yelling a challenge
to Olaf Woden. Woden summons a nasty beast and flees as Briar dispels it.
Briar will assist the parents and Daisy in healing and
reviving the smaller kids, and then question them about what happened. She
informs them that she's an Auror and will continue the chase once she questions
them. Mr. Moore & Mrs. Dee are scared & proud in equal measure - more
the latter once Briar and possibly Daisy explain the full situation to them.
Once things calm down the children are bought back to Fortiscues' have their
interrupted ice cream.
This ends the chapter in Diagon Ally, but hopefully with
enough connection between the PCs that they will organically draw together on
Platform 9 3/4.
Chapter 2: Hogwarts Express
The PCs - except of Daisy - end up in the same train
compartment. They'll get a chance to talk in character a little more, but I do
have some scenes to handle.
In the Prefect's Cabin.
Daisy will be in the prefect's cabin with the other 24
prefects and the head boy, a Slythrin named Owen Mardling. Owen will
congratulate the new prefects, lay out his position as being the head prefect
and therefore the top layer of management amongst the students and the need for
clear lines of communication and proper coaching. He's full of buzzwords but
obviously staking out a different route than his predecessor, Slythor
MacKraken. Owen has power & thinks that by sharing out portion of it rather
than hoarding it he can make it grow, like an investment. He sees every one of
the prefects as long term life allies.
He then hands out a list of all the first years to each of
the new prefects, so they can identify their charges. The sorting hasn't
happened, but he had the 7th year Ravenclaw prefect Alyssa Aerie do family
research and he has their likely picks based on previous experience.
Finally he introduces the new Defense Against the Dark Arts
teacher at the school, Professor Briar (he tries to call her Chrysalis in a
needless informality) after Professor Pellinor left last year. He mentions her
time as an Auror, does not mention her house, wishes her a long and happy time
at the school. Briar will be polite, answer some questions and, before excusing
herself, asks Daisy after her sister and the others. This will likely lead to
both of them coming down to talk to the kids.
Undulations, Death and Dragons
After the PCs have had a chance to chat they will get a
visit from Grendel Green, flanked by Peri Undulata and Rowena Resquiat. They
will be coming down to say hello to the Dee
brothers (and Juliet when he sees her, as the Moores are a good pureblood family). It is everyone’s
expectation that one of the Dee brothers, at least, will be sorted into
Slytherin.
Contrary to expectations, there's no animosity in this.
Grendel is just saying hello to other students who he fully expects to get
placed with. There might be a little feeling out of the opposition, as there
are rumors of Pollux's drive and Grendel too wants to succeed, but it’s not ill
meant. Peri will say something thoughtless about mudbloods and Grendel will
correct her - "we've been down that road and you see how that turned up.
It's time to find a new path." He means it - Grendel is not going to repeat
others mistakes in his quest for power.
Chatting with Professor Briar
Shortly after this Chrysalis will stop in to see the PCs,
make sure that they're OK and tell them she captured Woden. She will claim not
to recognize the other name (not surprising, since Reg died before she was
born). She will also warn them that Woden is vindictive and, as an Oneromancer,
has special weapons to bring to bear, even from his prison cell in London .
Informing them that the train counts as being at school, she
teaches them the basics of a protection spell - Mentat Acutia - that will banish daydreams if their mind starts to
wander, which could give an Onieromancer entry. She'll be working on a defense
for their sleeping dreams, but has faith that Olaf will be in Azkhaban before
she is able to finish it.
This serves two purposes - it gets them into the spell
mechanics, and it sets her up as the PC's advocate & companion at the
school, establishing Chrysalis as being someone like Lupin when she is actually
a major threat.
On to the boats
At the end of the train ride the first years are pulled
aside by Hagrid and into the boats.
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