Grave Portals: Case Log 3
Ghostbranded
This will be the final chapter in my Sworn by Ghostlight series. The original, Ebon Wood Effigies, and the sequel, Wings of Rot, were based on my playthrough of Yuigaron’s amazing one-page games. The end of Wings of Rot was based on information Yuigaron had given me about their plans for the next case. Sadly, that case never materialized. I decided that I would use Starforged and play the last of the trilogy without the aid of an SbG game.
I am using theStarforgedreference guide,Sundered Islesoracles, andStarsmith by Eric Bright.
Tiberius Romulus Remus, occult detective, was out of time. The Dimuthian Hunters were no more than a few minutes behind, and their tracking spells were more effective than the best ghostlight-powered locators the Bureau had. Not that ghostlight existed in this time. The moon, currently full and casting a bright silver sheen over the quiet village, was whole and without a single crack. Magic existed, of course, but—and Remus was disappointed to learn—his affinity with ghostlight did not. The overwhelming sensation that he had lost one of his senses was perhaps the most tragic thing about his current predicament. Learning to rely on his gut instinct without the telltale wisps of ghostlight to provide confirmation was proving to be more difficult than he ever imagined.
“Spell says he’s down here,” a gruff voice called from the end of the alley in which Remus was currently hiding.
Tiberius gripped his only weapon—an archaic bludgeon made of ebonwood—tighter and prepared to strike out as soon as one of the Hunters came into range. His breath and heart seemed to grow louder with each passing moment, both vying for dominance in a cacophonic song that swelled between his ears.
“Come out, detective,” the gruff voice called again. “Come out with your hands where we can see them and we won’t be forced to kill you.”
Remus didn’t believe them, not for a second. He had his suspicions, after his last confrontation with Elijah Tubblebottom, that the warlock’s powers were weakened—and growing weaker—because of his presence. He fully expected the Hunters were out for blood, and he didn’t intend to die displaced in time.
Begin a Session: 55, an important character is put in danger or suffers a misadventureName: Selma Belright
Role: Occult Detective
Health: +5/5
Spirit: +5/5
Supply: +5/5
Ghostlight: +5/5
Ammunition: +6/6
XP: 2
Stats: +3 Edge, +3 Heart, +2 Iron, +2 Shadow, +4 Wits
Momentum: +7/10
Assets
Ghostbranded. You wield ghostlight energy. When you rest and meditate to gather this energy, roll +spirit. On a strong hit, take up to +3 ghostlight. On a weak hit, take +2. On a miss, take +2 ghostlight but Endure Harm (-2). Your max ghostlight is +5. When you make moves aided by this energy to attack or overcome obstacles, add +2 and suffer -1 ghostlight.
Sleuth. When you Take a Case to solve a murder, disappearance, theft, or other mystery, make the rank of the quest no greater than formidable. Then, when you Gather Information in the course of the investigation, roll three challenge dice and choose two. If any challenge dice match, you must use those values. On a miss with a match, envision what you learn of a deepening conspiracy or betrayal, make the rank of your quest one higher (no greater than epic), and use the new rank when marking future progress.
Service Revolver. You wield a standard issue service revolver. You carry 6 ammunition. When you Strike or Clash, you may add +1 or +2 and suffer that as -ammo. When you Resupply in a location that might have ammunition (Ask the Oracle if unsure), on a strong hit take +4 ammo. On a weak hit, take +2.Selma Belright, Occult Detective
Personal Case Journal
2 August, 1937
0845
Grave Hill CemeteryWhen my vision cleared, the priest no longer wore the pristine white robe; it hung in tatters from swollen arms, a widened chest, and massive thighs. A ragged scream tore through the night as hard spikes forced their way through the priest’s forehead, lengthening and curving back. I raced to the front corner of the shack, hoping to warn Hunter of what I saw.
The creature must have kept growing. Horns, followed by a too-wide head, burst through the roof. It tilted its maned head and roared at the cracked moon. Feral and without thought, the beast barrelled out of the shack, taking the front wall down as if it were nothing more than paper. Hunter danced back, his sword already in hand, and set his feet to meet the monster’s charge.
An energy, stronger than anything I had ever experienced, welled up in my chest and all but vibrated down my arms and into my fingers. The energy was cold, like the light of the moon, but no less powerful. On instinct, I raised my right hand out toward the hulking monstrosity and felt the current flare as it raced down my arm and coalesced at the tip of my pointed fingers. A bright orb of argent light hovered before me, calling to me, beseeching me to command it. I looked up at the demonic form stalking closer to Hunter, its too-long arms propping up its top-heavy body like one of the old world gorillas. One glancing blow from those massive arms would crush even a powerful man like Hunter.
“Go,” I whispered to the orb, and to my surprise, it obeyed.
In a flash, the silver orb shot out. It elongated into a beam of pure arcing energy and lanced into the leather flesh of the demon’s back. As it dissipated, skittering tendrils of white lightning across the stone-colored flesh, I could see a blackened hole the size of my head between the too-small wings protruding from the beast’s shoulder blades. The beast stumbled forward, falling to its knees and teetering unsteadily, releasing a guttural cry of pain and disbelief.
As I watched, still in shock at what I had just done, Hunter’s dark form appeared above the demon. I never ceased to be amazed at what Julian was capable of. He flew through the air, the moonlight glinting off the long iron blade of his sword, and landed upon the beast’s wounded back. Without a second thought, he plunged the sword into the space where the demon’s head and shoulders met. The blade vanished in a spray of blood as Hunter drove it to the crossguard in the demon’s flesh. Julian rode the dying corpse to the ground, pulling his blade free as its heavy body thudded in a spray of dust, grass, and blood.
Battle: 10 (+4 wits, +2 ghostbranded) vs 7 | 4 = strong hit
Ghostlight = +4/5
Momentum = +8/10“Is it…” I began.
“Dead?” Julian interrupted. “Yes. Iron is deadly to most demons and monsters, and this thing qualifies as both.”
Hunter walked up to me, his blood-soaked sword by his side, and looked at me in wonder and confusion. I knew he had questions about what I’d done, but so did I, and currently no answers were forthcoming.
“Did you,” he stared hard at me. “Did you shoot it?”
“Something like that,” I replied, almost sheepishly. I explained the sensation, and the orb appearing and how I commanded it to strike the demon.
Hunter considered me for a moment, and I fully believed he might turn his blade on me. Instead, he scratched the stubble on his chin and closed his eyes. When he finally opened them, I was relieved to see a small smile stretch across his face.
“Have you noticed any new markings on your skin?”
“Y-yes, why?” I answered.
“May I see it?” he asked, looking away almost sheepishly.
I unbuttoned the top two buttons of my shirt and carefully tugged the collar down my left shoulder, exposing the skin to the cool air. I was certain the swirling white pattern would be visible despite the prickling flesh. I turned so he could inspect the mark, and audibly gasped as his warm fingertips trailed along the whirling pattern.
“How long has this been here?”
“I noticed it after we returned from the Rift.”
“The pool of souls…” Hunter muttered, trailing his thought off into silence before picking it up again. “That must be it. When you freed the souls from the pool, they marked you. You’re ghostbranded now. That must be why you were able to conjure that energy.”
“What does that mean, exactly,” I asked, trying to keep the tremor out of my voice. Throwing ghostlight energy was one thing, being marked by the spirits of the dead was something altogether other, and it frightened me.
“It means that the spirits have deemed you a worthy protector. Their mark only enhances the talent you already had with manipulating ghostlight, in this case, turning it into a formidable weapon.”
“You’re not going to…kill me, are you?”
“Kill you?” Hunter looked at me with concern. “Whyever would I kill you? What would make you think that?”
“Am I a monster now? Unnatural? Isn’t that what you do, hunt monsters?”
The words poured out of me, unbidden and unrestrained. My eyes dropped to the blood-soaked iron in his hand, and I squeezed them shut, hoping—and failing—to block out the visions of Hunter ending my life in a myriad of bloody ways. Instead of cold iron, I felt the warmth of his hand once again on my skin, cupping my cheek and gently raising my face.
“Ghosthunter,” he said quietly, “Selma. Look at me.”
I opened my eyes, surprised by the uncharacteristic softness in his voice. He gave me a half smile, dark eyes pooling with compassion. I still expected him to end me where we stood, despite the obvious kindness he was trying to show.
“You are not a monster. This gift is a great boon that few, even in the oldest records I’ve studied, have ever been granted. The spirits don’t bestow gifts on the living often. They chose you because they knew that you would need help against the foe we face. Iron alone won’t be enough to end the threat of the god of decay. You are not a monster, Selma, you’re the ghostlight’s greatest hope.”
To my extreme surprise, he leaned in and pressed his lips to my forehead. The electric skittering of that touch rivaled the power of the ghostlight and left me feeling much too warm, despite the cold air still blowing on my exposed shoulder. He pulled away quickly, his face as red as mine felt, and turned back to the corpse of the demon, leaving me to fix my shirt and try to settle my pounding heart.
Investigation — Mystery of Grave Hill (Formidable): 3/10 progressCover Image Credit: “Secrets” by Marek Piwnicki (pexels); edited on Canva
Very cool chapter, I love that the Ghostlight is a bit more prominent in for this case, it is one of my favorite parts of this setting. Looking forward to seeing what other horrifying demons they encounter next!