Through Sorcerer's eyes - Oct 17, in which the sorcerers indulge in a final, anatomically improbable cooperative act

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

Starts here.

October 17

The main action in this chapter happens the previous night, the new moon, or death of the moon. Before getting into those details, Snuff provides us with more context for the entire Game. With the moon, a power that the sorcerers want to harness is rising, and both Closers and Openers will act in ways that expose their affiliation. Until now, the talk has been about gathering ingredients, so we can safely assume that that's all that can be done until then with respect to the main event or ritual of the Game, and that they are neutral, in the sense that anyone of any affiliation may want to gather any of them. It's only their subsequent use which should expose their purpose.

Last night, Snuff and Jack went to that old, distant graveyard again, of the long-suffering guard dog who Snuff had already amicably intimidated. Snuff hears others approaching as Jack works - Snuff is able to tell or hint to us which they are by the sounds of their voices. We hear those because at some point in the night, someone, who sounds like MacCab, gets the idea to loudly vent his frustration at the body he's dug up missing a part he needs. This begins a comical back-and-forth, with others yelling out what they found or what they need, and throwing them back and forth when a trade is viable. This orgy of grave-robbing is notable not just for its comedy, but also for the clear indication of the specifics each needs for their ingredients, and their willingness to rob corpses, then mix and match them to taste. Truly, sorcery is vile, but also mutually intelligible - they are all looking for similar things, and understand each other's needs. This despite their day-to-day presentation and sorcery style.

The sorcerers involved, aside from Jack and MacCab, are Owen (probably), Jill (a woman's voice, and she's the only one we know of), the Count (deep voice with Hungarian accent), Rastov (a Russian accent), someone with an aristocratic accent, and a few others without descriptors.

As they leave, Snuff notes the Great Detective disguised as a dozing sexton, meaning someone hasn't been sufficiently discreet. Later Snuff returns to the body dragging, a significant drain on his attentions still.

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.
• Morris and MacCab - A pair of sorcerers who have both Bound Nightwind. They count separately for the purposes of conversation, although not clearly in terms of the rules of sorcery. They are very new in this endeavor.
• Owen - Druid, Binder of Cheeter (probably -2 or lower), and a sickle. Mistletoe, wicker baskets, and ropes.
• "Crazy" Jill - Witch, Binder of Graymalk, and a flying broom
• The Count - Binder of Needle, a blood-sucking parasite, and possibly the ring. Telltale: needs to be invited in.
• Rastov - Binder of Quicklime and the mad Arab's icon
• Aristocratic sorcerer - unknown, possibly someone we've met
• Others - unknown, possibly some we've met
• 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
• Nightwind - a Passer whose Cover is an owl. Possible abilities: Perception: sorcerous pattern, Special Damage.
• Cheeter - a Passer whose Cover is a squirrel.
• Graymalk - a Passer whose Cover is a cat. Possible abilities: Cloak. Possible Need/Desire: burying and uncovering things.
• 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.
• Quicklime - a Parasite living in the gut. Possible abilities: Cover: Snake, Mark, Special Damage. Has played the Game before.
• The Great Detective and his companion - Very perceptive, good at disguises (although the smell gives it away), not clearly supernatural or a player in the Game, but starting to ask questions of those involved.

Sorcery and Setting

• The sorcery involved with the event or ritual which is the culmination of the Game has two phases: gathering the ingredients until the new moon, and then using them as a special power gathers towards the full moon at the end of the month, to sway it one way or another.
• With respect to Closers vs. Openers, the ingredients are neutral, while their uses are not.
• Ingredients include very specific organs taken from corpses - and their description is a lingua franca common to all sorcerers, regardless of background.