Through Sorcerer's eyes - Oct 2, in which we meet a cat, and hear rumors of an owl and a snake

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

Starts here.

October 2

Today Snuff starts by telling us of some preceding action: Jack taking particular care to collect an ingredient under specific circumstances, and immediately returning home with it, then bantering with the Thing in the Circle, which means that it can talk to Jack, not just to Snuff. He comments that ingredients and timing are important for his master's work.

He then detects an interloper: Graymalk, "Crazy" Jill's pet. He was able to note her peering in from the inside, which further lends credence to his overall enhanced senses. She does like sneaking and lurking, so if a demon, she may have Cloak. They are able to communicate, which could be either demonic or just a setting feature, as I've discussed. They are suspicious of each other, but willing to share information - Graymalk tells him that Nightwind, an owl working with Morris and McNab, has left him a feather with mummy's dust, which is supposed to hurt him, or maybe him and Jack - "you" being a bit ambiguous in English. This could either be an attack from Nightwind as demon, in which case it might be Special Damage (if we interpret combat very loosely), or some kind of indirect use of Banish or Punish by Morris and McNab. Snuff pays her back by telling her that Quicklime, a black snake who lives in the belly (Parasite) of the "mad monk" Rastov, has come by her house and rubbed some of his scales into it. This might be some kind of Special Damage, or possibly a Mark. Since this is from a presumed demon, it doesn't seem likely to be Banish or Punish. He makes it clear that the dealing is between the two of them rather than their masters.

This chapter is thick with characters but light on details. We learn of four potential new sorcerers, and three new potential demons. "Crazy" Jill has bound the cat-like Graymalk. We don't know much about the latter, so could be a passer like Snuff. Morris and McNab have bound the owl-like Nightwind. Again, we don't know much, so another passer, possibly. They're a pair, so either Nightwind is bound to just one of them, with the other helping, or perhaps they should be viewed as a single sorcerer entity, although that doesn't seem like a baseline game option. "Mad monk" Rastov has bound the snake-like Quicklime. The latter lives in the former's belly, so might be a Parasite. We also learn that Jack banters jovially with the Thing in the Circle, so that it communicates with at least one sorcerer, not just with Snuff, and that Jack is able to best it in wits, so its Will isn't overwhelming to him.

As far as sorcery and setting are concerned, we are told Jack needing to gather ingredients by their type and context, and that timing is critical for his work. We see a dog and a cat conversing intelligently and amicably - it's not clear yet whether this is because they are both demons, or whether it's a standard setting conceit, but neither of them is surprised by this communication, and we already have seen that Snuff can speak to regular dogs, so I'm leaning towards it. 

Jack and Snuff were able to walk far and reach a field with a particular root in it with no special incident, suggesting a rural area, or bordering such. No modern technology mentioned yet. Usage of mummy's dust might indicate the 19th Century and its Egyptomania in the Anglophone world, in which this takes place because it's been established that they are outside London, but that could be a strictly sorcerous detail.

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?
• "Crazy" Jill - Binder of Graymalk
• Morris and McNab - A pair of sorcerers or possibly effectively a single one, one or both Binders of Nightwind
• "Mad monk" Rastov - Binder of Quicklime
• Snuff - a Passer whose Cover is a watchdog. High Will. Possible abilities: Command: dogs, Hold, Perception: heightened senses, Special Damage: claws and fangs.
• Thing in the Circle - a Passer of high Will, although not as high as either Jack or Snuff, communicative. Possible abilities: Shapeshift: general or numerous
• Graymalk - a Passer whose Cover is a cat. Possible abilities: Cloak
• Nightwind - a Passer whose Cover is an owl. Possible abilities: Special Damage.
• Quicklime - a Parasite living in the gut. Possible abilities: Cover: Snake, Mark, Special Damage.

Sorcery and Setting

• Sorcery seems to involve material ingredients taken in specific contexts. Timing is of the essence. Parts of mummies, demons, and animals - or, possibly, of demons in animal form - are also important.
• Setting is near London, somewhat rural, possibly 19th Century. Animals able to talk to each other.