Description

Chronicle	Jericho
Sphere	Mage
Storyteller	YoGrendel
Participants	Arlene Kinsey, Laura Thompson
Status	Open
Plot Summary	Paladin and Espy investigate a Hallow under New Hope Lutheran Church.

Quick Details

New Hope Lutheran Church

Pastor Ashford Price - He'd old, a little on the 'get your act together or enjoy hell,' but he seems kind enough that he's not spitting fire at anyone. His sermon does get some people into it and he's got a way with words!

Assistant Pastor Patricia Marks - Middle-aged, sharp-eyed and quick. Where Ashford is the face of the group, it's obvious that Patricia is the mind. She's looking over the fellowship as the sermon goes on, glaring down anyone who makes a fuss, baby or nah! At the end of the sermon she approaches Arlene and encourages her to join the youth group, but that she should come with a real desire to be there. She seems to doubt Arlene's intentions.

Bunny Duvall - If there's a socialite in Jericho, this is it! She's got money (family money I know but she 'puts it to a good purpose') and she's excited to see Dr. Laura! The woman in her 30s that looks like she's in her 20s tells the doctor that they're organizing a community health fundraiser to help "those less fortunate 😦 " and tries to con Dr. Laura into either donating or taking on some pro bono cases to "help the community," which is in quotations because it's obvious Bunny things it's just going to make her event shine.

Timeline

Initial

As Paladin is studying the traces of lines of the space from the church, she can see through the lies of the spell that was put before it, crumbling under the light of the Aether. But then she sees that the light of the Aether doesn't stop there - it's part of the church itself, connected to a leyline that was hidden beneath the foundation. She can see the Mana rising into a pool beneath the floorboards and infusing part of the church itself as she breaks away the Veil that had been separating her from the truth. New Hope Lutheran possesses a Hallow and someone's been hiding it.

Paladin and Espy go to the church together but separate, looking to get some questions answered about possibly joining. Paladin takes a tour and Espy joins the Youth Group Bible Study.
During her first session of Bible Study, Espy detects magic. "Under the guidance of Patricia Marks, a very sharp and stern woman, she led the Youth Group members, mostly peers of Arlene’s age give or take a few years, into reporting back to her ‘the weird, the things or people that do not belong, and the events or actions witnessed that do make sense to us’ back to her. This request was fortified by magic of the Mind Arcana. I was unaffected with my own defenses at hand, but it appears each of the other participants took to it. The magic itself was around Patricia and her Bible, and I am not clear if it came from her or was perhaps somehow pushed through her. I believe the Bible to be of significance. I attempted to take it but she’s sharp and I returned it easily. I will be keeping close tabs on the other members of the Youth Group. I believe getting that bible and researching the Hallow further are of great importance." (See: Arlene Goes To Youth Group Bible Study )
Espy has worked to become closer with members of the Youth Group so she can become aware of anything they 'turn in' to Patricia.
During a session of scrying, Espy sees Patricia in a dark room with candles lit around her. Her features are blank and lifeless, but she is alive and breathing. A man's voice relays to her: "You are Patricia Marks, woman of Jericho, assistant pastor at New Hope Lutheran Church. Your life is devoted to saving the souls of others by whatever means necessary. You are in charge of the Youth Group. You will use the tools I provi-" Believing she'd been detected, Espy cut the scrying session short.

On Going

Espy's efforts in becoming closer with the Youth Group pay off. A member named Peggy confides that she saw Jolene Hale talking to a tree outside of the post office. Espy convinces her to wait until they have more concrete evidence of strangeness before turning her in to Patricia Marks.
Espy calls the cabal to assist her in checking out the tree outside the post office. In doing so they notice a few things:
- Fidelity's spells revealed the tree to be healthy and without any real sickness, surprising for a tree of its age. Under her Exorcist's Eye she determined that the local spirits weren't overly active and there was nothing suspicious. However, her Mage Sight drew her eyes up to the mockingbirds flitting through the branches above. She saw sleeping spirits within them and lingering magic - something had used a Spirit spell on them recently.
- As Espy rewound time for herself and the others to see within her mirror, she saw Jolene Hale standing before the tree. She looked around nervously for a moment, and then her eyes turned up to the mockingbirds above. She breathed in and out slowly, and then she whispered. "Birds of a feather," she said in the kind of tone that suggested implication beyond just the words being spoken, and then she let out a small bird-like chittering. The birds stopped and looked down at her, cocking their heads as she chirped again. As this happened, they saw what looked like vines appeared beneath the veins in her neck, a hint of green appearing as they pushed against the skin from beneath, leaves becoming apparent like they might break free from their fleshy restraints. And then they sunk back within, becoming unnoticeable once more. The birds chirped in acceptance. The vision faded.
The three are still looking into the tree when Espy catches sight of what they come to realize is a Grigori, a Seer method of spying from a remote location, and it is very obviously there for the newly Awakened Jolene Hale. The cabal believes their cover isn't blown just yet, quickly recovering from a startled scream form Arlene, but now they face saving Jolene and risking their cover or letting the Seer's take action without interference. (See: Jolene, Jolene)

Logs

2nd July, 2023: Arlene Goes to Youth Group Bible Study
23rd July, 2023: Jolene, Jolene