Through Sorcerer's eyes - Oct 20, in which we confirm the Vicar's a player, learn about Graymalk's past, and more information is confirmed

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

Starts here.

October 20

As promised in the previous chapter, Snuff picks Graymalk up to go check out the old manse, now occupied by Lady Enderby and her butler - who are the Great Detective and his companion in disguise, although he has yet to disclose this. As they go there, she starts a bit of probing to try and find out his alignment, starting by describing how she had a horrid life as a young cat until she was rescued by Jill, herself an orphan who had a bad life before, presumably, sorcery brought her power over her life. This suggests that Graymalk did not start out as a demon - so we must instead see her as a Possessor of an ordinary cat.

On approaching the manse, Snuff notes that the Great Detective is staying in character, albeit with an incongruous pipe, even though they have no company. Graymalk sneaks in, planning to avoid them both and tour the insides to see if there is, indeed, an appropriate chapel.

While she is away, Nightwind lands nearby and starts trying to pump Snuff for information. Unfortunately for him, what information he doesn't divulge while explaining what he is asking for or what he has to offer, Snuff either knows or is able to guess. We therefore discover that not only did the Vicar kill the policeman, but he did so through a ritual to gain early power as he had joined the Game late; that the albino raven from the previous chapter is Tekela, she is the Vicar's companion, that she followed Snuff and saw him dragging the body, and Larry helping him, although she couldn't recognize him other than to know that he also hung around Larry's home. Snuff ends up lying about wolf-Larry, saying that he's juts a big stray dog named Lucky who he hangs out with, and who Larry occasionally feeds. This poses a problem, since they're not quite clear on whether plants can be companions, and companions are necessary for sorcery.

In exchange for this lie, Nightwind tells him that there is a third man living in the Good Doctor's farmhouse, a giant, moving around awkwardly, but only at the height of the thunderstorms, after which he is put back under a sheet and doesn't move. Other, indirect information is that Quicklime traded some information for Needle's nightly feeding route - which Nightwind suggests might be to trap him, although we know from two days ago that it might have to do with getting more information about the Count's sleeping arrangements. A bit of grousing about Bubo being too closemouthed concludes his business with Snuff; Nightwind departs.

Snuff hears a noise from the other side of the house, and rushes to see what is going on. Lady Enderby kindly bids farewell to Graymalk. Once she closes the door behind her, Snuff tries to get Graymalk's attention, but she feigns to ignore him, then disappears and reappears next to him - perhaps this is another ability, Travel: Teleportation. She tells him that she was spotted inside, and that Enderby immediately recognized her and called her by name, which she finds puzzling. Snuff does not enlighten her. Snuff being the only entity so far to note that Enderby and the Great Detective are one and the same is starting to suggest that his disguise is a bit supernatural in scope, although it is not clear that it falls within sorcery per se, rather than being a setting feature. The Great Detective's powers of observation and memory might also fall under this ambiguous area.

As she was inside she was able to find a room that was an old chapel at some point, which suggests that this is a credible site for the event.

They both continue to the Good Doctor's to check up on Nightwind's lead. On the way, as they discuss more of the details of the event - apparently this can happen whenever the full moon rises on Halloween, as long as Closers, Openers, or both, gather to make use of it - Snuff lets it slip that this isn't his first time - which is significant. Recall that Quicklime also seemed to imply that he'd done this before. The area around the farmhouse is rainy as usual. This seems to be notable enough, that it might be some kind of weather control effect by some kind of demon. As they approach, they see the giant man Nightwind described coming towards them awkwardly but quickly. He pets Snuff, then picks Graymalk up without warning, being much quicker than he looks. He attempts to pet her, but she yells out that he's crushing her. Snuff starts barking, which at least distracts him. Then the Good Doctor comes forward, and slowly and patronizingly explains to him that he should let go of the cat and come back inside. They leave. Snuff notes that the man smelled like death. So it is suggested that the Good Doctor's sorcery might have brought someone from the dead. Possibly the mad science lead to a possession of a corpse?

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, as a Closer
• "Crazy" Jill - Witch, Binder of Graymalk, and a flying broom
• Vicar Roberts - A sorcerer in his own right railing against sorcery, Binder of Tekela. Some combination of Satanism and Cthulhu Mythos.
• 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.
• Larry Talbot - Possible sorcerer, definite werewolf, Binder of Large Plant. Pledges assistance to Jack, as they are both Closers. Large Plant confers some control over his transformation, but it in itself seems natural to the setting
• The Count - Binder of Needle, a blood-sucking parasite, and possibly the ring. Telltale: needs to be invited in. Might have multiple places to sleep. Served by a group of Roma.
• The Good Doctor - Binder of Bubo, the Corpse Man, 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, as a Closer
• Graymalk - a Possessor of a cat. Possible abilities: Cloak, Travel: teleportation. Possible Need/Desire: burying and uncovering things.
• Tekela - a Passer whose cover is an albino raven.
• Nightwind - a Passer whose Cover is an owl. Possible abilities: Perception: sorcerous pattern, Special Damage.
• Large Plant - a Passer whose cover is a large flowering plant? Possible abilities: Boost: Stamina (werewolf transformation), Boost: Will (retaining faculties), Hint, Perception: Future
• 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.
• Bubo - a Passer whose Cover is a rat. Very closemouthed.
• The Corpse Man - a Possessor of a giant dead body. Not very bright or forceful, but strong, and a speed belied by the awkwardness of his movement. Probably high Stamina, low Will.
• 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 taking a keen interest in what is going on, to the point of moving into the neighborhood in disguise and befriending some of the players. Probably very high Will.

Sorcery and Setting

• The kind of event that will be coming at the end of the month happens whenever the moon is full on Halloween. It happens a few times a century. It doesn't always lead to sorcerers gathering together to bring it about. It's significant if people have done it before.
  
• It's not clear whether plants are appropriate "companions", the signifying demons that sorcerers have, usually assumed to be animals.