Through Sorcerer's eyes - Oct 14, in which a body is found uncomfortably close

Part of a series analyzing Roger Zelazny's A Night in the Lonesome October through Sorcerer.

Starts here.

October 14

Another problem for the entire community of sorcerers, Openers and Closers both, is added to the Vicar's crusade of the previous night. Graymalk informs Snuff that a London police officer came in riding on a horse, to visit the local constable, Terence, but only the horse was later seen. The officer's body has been given a once-over by some enterprising crows, and was set uncomfortably close to several Game players. They have all tried to keep their more abhorrent activities away from this area, and are outsiders with something to hide, so a dead police officer leads to the kind of attention they wouldn't want.

They decide that the best solution is to have Quicklime scare the horse away, and for Snuff to try and slowly drag the body to the river, to be swept downstream. He spends the rest of the day moving the body, hiding it three times: once to avoid discovery by someone passing nearby, another to make his internal rounds of the house, to keep the Thing in the Steamer Trunk in check, and finally when he is no longer able to move it further. He still has more than half of the way left to go.

Through the conversation between Graymalk and Snuff, we find out that Jack is explicitly known to have magical control over the Knife. Snuff's rebuttal shows that his job as watcher includes knowing about the other players` tools, which might be demons or other sorcerous implements: Owen's sickle, Rastov's icon drawn by a mad Arab, Jill's broom, the Count's possible possession of a ring, and the Good Doctor's of a bowl.

Sorcerers and Demons

• Jack - Binder of Snuff (probably 0 or +/-1), 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? Has played the Game before.
• "Crazy" Jill - Witch, Binder of Graymalk, and a flying broom
• Owen - Druid, Binder of Cheeter (probably -2 or lower), and a sickle. Mistletoe, wicker baskets, and ropes.
• Rastov - Binder of Quicklime and the mad Arab's icon
• The Count - Binder of Needle, a blood-sucking parasite, and possibly the ring. Telltale: needs to be invited in.
• The Good Doctor - Binder of Bubo, possibly of the Hunched Man, although that might just be a human servant, and possibly the bowl. Weird science.
• Snuff - a Passer whose Cover is a watchdog. High Will. Possible abilities: Command: dogs, Hold, Perception: heightened senses, Perception: sorcerous implements, Perception: sorcerous pattern, Special Damage: claws and fangs, Special Damage: holy hell. Able to trace paths between sorcerers. Keeps up with who has which tool. Able to communicate with Jack verbally right after midnight. Has played the Game before
• Big Knife with Old Writing on the Sides - an Object demon
• Graymalk - a Passer whose Cover is a cat. Possible abilities: Cloak
• Broom - an Object, possible abilities: Transport: Fly
• Cheeter - a Passer whose Cover is a squirrel.
• Sickle - possible Object
• Quicklime - a Parasite living in the gut. Possible abilities: Cover: Snake, Mark, Special Damage. Has played the Game before.
• Mad Arab's icon - possible Object
• Needle - a Passer whose cover is a bat.
• Count's Parasite - Possible abilities: Perception: heightened senses, Shapeshift: Large Bat, Travel. Possible Need: other people's blood.
• Ring - possible Object
• Bubo - a Passer whose Cover is a rat.
• Bowl - possible Object
• Thing in the Steamer Trunk - High Stamina. Not communicating so far.

Sorcery and Setting

• That sorcery is abhorrent is emphasized by how all the players make sure to do their deeds away from where they currently are as much as possible.
• There are specific tools known to be part of the upcoming event, and spread between the various sorcerers.