February 18, 2008

At the Diner

The team considered that the wyrm key had been stolen from the British Museum 75 years ago, but had no idea why.  Kyna remembered something her mother told her that led her to believe that the Stygian Darkness was a power spell that was running something.  She knew it was possible to ward against its effects in order to pass through it.  That kind of magic was Viking in origin and usually tied to something of Viking origin.  It required soaking in saltwater.

A few hours later, they had all been “brined.”  Kyna collected components that she thought would be useful.  Alan volunteered to stay behind in case they need to be retrieved.  Materials in hand, they returned to the theater.

Into the Darkness

There was no one around when they returned.  Ely got them back in and restored things to exactly as they were before they arrived the first time.  Kyna entered the darkness.  It was as if diving into a very cold pool into total darkness.  As she descended, an expected rung of the ladder was missing.  She slipped but managed to catch the next one.  She descended further and felt something moving in the darkness.  She invited the others to join her.

Ely pushed Walter aside to follow Kyna.  He avoided the missing rung.  Kyna saw a grayish-white outline of a bat swim by her.  She warned Ely and continued on.  Walter descended next.  Kyna descended to the bottom, which was after step 30.  She was still in darkness, but detected an opening on one side.  She informed Ely.  He jumped.  Kyna stepped aside.  Ely hit the ground hard.  Walter and Zoe climbed down.  The bat swam by them.  Kyna and Ely found each other in the darkness.  Walter reached the bottom.  Zoe arrived a little later.  Their skin was starting to tingle as the sea water burned off.  

They passed through the opening and found themselves in natural darkness. Zoe turned on a flashlight.  The room was small and composed of ill-fitting bricks.  There was a small key with glittering black inlay rising up from the pedestal it sat upon.  Kyna used her Sight and looked at it.  She slammed her Sight shut before it blinded her and confirmed that it was absorbing the power collected by the Stygian darkness.

Walter examined the plinth.  Zoe moved the flashlight closer and it went out.  Kyna hit the key with Ely’s crowbar, and the crowbar burst into flames.  The chamber started getting hit.  Kyna kicked the crowbar into the Stygian darkness.  The room got cold again.  Kyna retrieved the crowbar, which was now cold and rusted.

Zoe dumped the container of sea water onto the key, and it exploded into steam that threw them all into the walls and burned them to varying degrees.  The chamber was no longer cold.  Kyna used her Sight to see that the room was now dripping wet.  A crack in the ceiling allowed sand to trickle in.  The key was very clean and the inlay was gone.  She looped the remains of the crowbar and knocked it onto the floor.  Ely lined the frying pan with auto cloths and then Zoe lifted they key in to it with the crowbar.  

The Stygian darkness was gone, and the ladder was encased in ice.  Ely hit a rung with the crowbar and the rung shattered.  Walter transformed into cat form, and then Zoe threw him through the opening up into the theater.  Then he and Alan lowered a rope and pulled out the others.  The left the theater.  Ely again rearranged everything as it had been befor they arrived. 

Stashing the Loot

Having retrieved the key, they debated what to do with it.  If they took it to the Wardens, they would probably return it to the director.  Kyna suggested giving it to Ely’s employer, but the dragon said that the Key of the Valkyries was not something she wanted around, and she did not have any suggestions as to what t do with it.  Ely detected that she was a little afraid of it.

Kyna took the key background her lab to research how to keep it from being scryed while the others debated.  A few hours later, she had not discovered any viable solutions.  She asked her contacts, but the only possible solution was to bury it in salt.

Ely researched the Key of the Valkyries and learned that it was the key to the gates of Valhalla.  Kyna scryed the troll she had been engaged to and found him in upstate New York at Niagra Falls.  They took Ely’s car and set out on the 12 hour drive.  They put the key in a lead box filled with salt in the trunk.

At Niagra Falls

The following morning, they arrived in Niagra Falls.  The snow was thick, but they made their way to a small yellow house.  Kyna knocked on the door, but there was no reply.  Kyna begged for their help, but only Walter was allowed admission.  The troll was in Bermuda shorts and not pleased to be disturbed.  Walter convinced the troll to help, but the information was cryptic and Walter did not understand.  He asked the others.  Zoe figured out that the Mark of the Valkyries meant that one was going to die in battle, and Ely had it.  Kyna realized that they could communicate with a Valkyrie through Ely.

She gathered the components for the spell and took them to the nearest hotel.  She spent the day preparing the spell, protected by Walter, while the others went to Tim Hortons and were disappointed.  Ely took the box containing the key with him.  And then they went shopping for a Canadian crowbar with insulated grips.  Walter ordered Canadian room service.

Zoe and Ely returned with an insulated crowbar.  Kyna cast the spell and a blond woman with a winged helmet in a two piece bikini and flip flops appeared.  Kyna offered the key.  Ely asked for a finders fee.  Kyna asked for some advice or protection.  The Valkyrie said she would put the key back by the Gates of Valhalla.  Kyna gave the key to her.  She left the box, in which were three bars of Nazi gold.

Ely took the gold and drove back to Washington.  Zoe, Walter and Kyna took a train.

Home Again

Upon returning to DC, there was a sign on the theater stating that the play had been cancelled.

The Group

  • Zoe Kallas – waitress at grandparents’ diner in Arlington; journalism graduate looking for a real journalism job. (Changling who has no clue, mother was fey of Summer Court)
  • Ely Vantide – debt collector – all kinds of debt. (Emissary of Power for a Dragon)
  • Kyna Quinlan – wizard of Irish descent. New to the White Council. Muscle for Ely
  • Walter Ballard – were-leopard and therapist to the Supernatural.
  • Alan Coville – red court infected.  Vagrant who does work for Ely.