Through Sorcerer's eyes - A Night in the Lonesome October

I've run into writer's block trying to summarize my experience writing and running a Sorcerer one-shot set in Troy, New York, loosely inspired by Roger Zelazny's A Night in the Lonesome October. And wouldn't you know it, it's October already, which is time for me to spend about the whole month reading the book chapter by chapter, as, except for the introduction, they are all numbered by the days in the month.

So instead of continuing to procrastinate on my previous assignment, I'm going to try and analyze the story through a Sorcerer lens. This should explain why I thought this would be a good system in which to create a scenario inspired by the story. Hopefully I can do this once a day from October 1st to November 1st, but singly or in batches, I will go chapter by chapter, applying the structure and details of Sorcerer to the various entities and situations introduced. Doing so piecemeal should make for easier going. Spoilers abound!

Introduction

Strictly speaking, "A Night in the Lonesome October" is the title here, but it is the only chapter not associated with a day of the month, and acts to introduce us to the first-person protagonist, Snuff.

Snuff is an intelligent watchdog who works for Jack, who is cursed, and has to do bad things at night to avert worse things. Snuff keeps watch when Jack's on his business, and fetches him his wand and a knife with old writing on it when necessary - he knows when that is. Snuff used to be something else, but was summoned into watchdog form, which he likes. He and Jack keep certain "Things": one in a circle, one in a wardrobe, one in a steamer trunk, and an assortment in a mirror. Snuff can help block them from escaping, and intimidates mundane dogs, but can converse with the latter when he wants to.

In Sorcerer terms, Jack is a sorcerer, and his sorcery involves abhorrent actions performed in secret, which is the game's baseline. In this chapter we explicitly see him going into a graveyard and digging for some necessary ingredients, while Snuff makes sure the old guard dog doesn't raise the alarm. Since Jack is using his powers to avert great evil, he might have a reasonable amount of Humanity, even though he has Bound at least three demons: Snuff himself, a Passer; and the wand and dagger, presumably Objects. The Things that they keep suggest Contained demons - that would not require a Humanity check, and is a way of allowing a demon to remain manifest without having its Need supplied. However, that does mean that Jack does not have any control over them beyond keeping them in their containers, nor does he benefit from their powers.

That Snuff knows when to fetch Jack his Objects could be rationalized as an implementation of the game text's insistence that Object demons can move and communicate with their Binder - Jack unconsciously communicates to the wand or knife that they are needed, they communicate this to Snuff, and Snuff physically brings them to him.

Snuff talking to mundane dogs might just be a setting conceit. There are no abilities that correspond to this. Being able to boss them around may be an ability, though, possibly Command: dogs, as is whatever allows him to keep the Contained demons in check if they manage to break through their containers, possibly Psychic Force. Since he is a dog, he can probably bite and scratch, and he keeps talking about watching, so Perception: heightened sight is likely. It is too early to speak of his Need or Desire, although he clearly takes his job of watching and knowing very seriously.

Sorcerers and Demons

• Jack - Binder of Snuff, a wand, and a big knife, as well as a Container of several Things. Described as cursed and having to do much of his work at night - perhaps his Price has to do with insomnia?
• Snuff - a Passer whose Cover is a watchdog. Possible powers: Command: dogs, Hold, Perception: heightened sight, Psychic Force, Special Damage: claws and fangs.
• Wand - an Object demon
• Big Knife with Old Writing on the Side - an Object demon
• Demons Contained by Jack, none of which we know much about at this point
• Thing in the Circle
• Thing in the Wardrobe
• Thing in the Steamer Trunk
• Things in the Mirror

Sorcery and Setting

• Sorcery here seems to involve cadaver-sourced ingredients, magical and physical containment, and demons as foul creatures, with Snuff as an exception, although he is the narrator, so he might be unreliable. It is kept secret from society at large.
• The setting is near London, in the fog. The graveyard in this chapter is guarded by a dog, so it can't be too modern, what with no electronic surveillance. Dogs being able to talk to each other might be part of the setting as well.