Chapter Summaries

Audrey negotiated her share of the Qilingus bounty with Nimrod, then learned that the king had conspired with the Demoness Sect and Aurora Order to cause a catastrophe in Backlund’s East Borough. Meanwhile, Klein met Azik, who recalled working with the Aurora Order in a past life, and prepared to investigate a missing-person case for Ian.

• Fors considered asking Mr. A for potion formulas but could not bring herself to make a request.
• Audrey agreed that Nimrod would receive fifteen thousand pounds from the Qilingus bounty, with an option to pay him five thousand pounds in installments if she felt the exchange was unfair.
• Audrey asked Nimrod about the Backlund catastrophe, and he revealed that the king had made a deal with the Demoness Sect and Aurora Order to conceal unusual disappearances through mass deaths in East Borough.
• Klein met Azik, who remembered serving as a priest and working with the Aurora Order in his first life, and agreed to search for a Dream-Eating Mouse.
• Klein told Azik that Ian had hired him to find someone, and that he still needed to investigate the case with a colleague.

Klein and Leonard found Detective Zreal’s corpse, while Nimrod met with Dunn and Daly to discuss their investigation into Ince Zangwill and the Church of Evernight’s cooperation with him. After Klein returned, he agreed to help Nimrod search for Dream-Eating Mice, and Dunn learned that the Church had authorized extensive cooperation with Nimrod as an ally.

• Klein and Leonard found Detective Zreal’s body in the sewers and decided to have Ian Wright report the death to the police.
• Nimrod visited the Detective Agency, where Daly told him about the commission and he discussed Ince Zangwill with her and Dunn.
• Nimrod told Daly that he might uncover evidence of the royal family and military cooperating with the Demoness Sect when he was invested as a baron.
• Klein returned with Leonard, and Nimrod told him that Azik had found possible traces of Dream-Eating Mice; Klein offered to divine their location above the gray fog the next day.
• Dunn read a letter from Saint Dabomachie confirming that Mr. L was an ally and authorizing cooperation with him in the investigation of Ince Zangwill.

Klein refused a gang member's request to reveal Ian's whereabouts, then used divination to investigate the Demoness Sect and the Dream-Eating Mouse. Nimrod met Dunn to discuss the Church of Evernight's interest in cooperation, but their conversation was interrupted by an intruder at the window.

• Klein turned away a dark-skinned client who offered money for information about Ian, and Dunn told him to hand the man over to the Church if he returned.
• Klein divined the East Borough reports Above the Gray Fog and found clues about abductions and a possible Demoness, which he planned to report to Dunn.
• Klein and Nimrod used Dream Divination to search for the Dream-Eating Mouse and considered whether it was in the Forsaken Land of the Gods or connected to the Church of Evernight.
• Nimrod suspected the Church wanted to cooperate with him and decided to question Dunn about its instructions.
• Nimrod arrived at the Detective Agency, where Dunn told him the Cathedral had replied to his report, but an intruder opened the window and was struck by Requiem and Mental Interference.

Nimrod and the Tingen team uncovered an Intis-backed attempt to capture Ian, while Dunn arranged for Nimrod to exchange the Antigonus marionette for a Dream-Eating Mouse and supplied him with new identity papers. A week later, Nimrod prepared to cross into the Circle of Inevitability Timeline to take Lumian’s Begging Monk gift and work on digesting Fire Thief.

• Leonard rushed into the study after a noise, and Klein identified the lone attacker as Meursault, the client who had visited earlier that day.
• Daly channeled Meursault’s spirit and learned that the Intis ambassador had sent him to find Ian Wright and bring him back alive or dead.
• Dunn arranged for the Church to receive Meursault and told Nimrod that the Church had approved exchanging 2-049 for a living Dream-Eating Mouse.
• Nimrod accepted new identity papers, chose the name James Holmes, and learned that the deal would be completed in about a week.
• Nimrod obtained the Robot potion formula from Ademisaul and prepared for his next crossing, intending to extract Lumian’s Begging Monk gift and digest Fire Thief.

Lumian expanded Passion’s influence, recruited Anthony, and prepared to advance by drinking the Instigator potion after Nimrod removed a dangerous Beyonder gift. As Lumian’s condition began to destabilize, Nimrod intervened through the seal, where Amon recognized the Celestial Worthy’s gaze.

• Lumian warned Charlie to seek help from the Church rather than remain around Passion, then dismissed him.
• Anthony told Lumian that someone had spotted a man who might be Louis Lund, and Lumian offered to help Anthony pursue revenge in exchange for joining Passion.
• After Anthony left, Lumian told Nimrod that he had killed leaders of the Stinger Gang and the Sava Party, bringing the Golden Rooster Hotel area under Passion’s control.
• Nimrod extracted the Alms Monk gift from Lumian and prepared the Instigator potion, explaining that Lumian’s two pathways could merge at the risk of losing control.
• Lumian drank the Instigator potion and heard a voice call his name as his internal balance began to collapse.
• Nimrod projected his mind into Lumian’s seal, where Amon felt the pressure of the Celestial Worthy’s gaze.

Nimrod examined his new Begging Monk abilities while Lumian recovered from advancing and discovered how his Instigator powers combined with Provoker. After discussing Lumian’s dangerous future advancement and the Passion Organization, they learned that Gardner Martin had invited Lumian to a gathering attended by Black Scorpion Roger and police, with Red Boots Franca delivering the invitation.

• Nimrod reviewed how Begging Monk’s fortune intuition and ritual magic had combined with his existing abilities, and planned to test the rituals.
• Lumian completed his advancement and explained how Instigator and Provoker could alternately build and inflame an opponent’s emotions.
• Nimrod warned Lumian that Sequence 7 Witch could change his sex and said he would research a safe advancement plan while helping him find Pyromaniac’s supplementary ingredients.
• Lumian considered how his transformation could affect the Passion Organization, and Nimrod suggested relying on subordinates and using a new identity.
• A gang enforcer brought Lumian an invitation from Gardner Martin, who planned to invite Black Scorpion Roger and members of the police.
• At Nimrod’s prompting, Lumian learned that Red Boots Franca had delivered the invitation on Gardner Martin’s behalf.

Lumian attended Gardner Martin’s banquet and met with him privately, where Gardner tried to draw him into a scheme involving a common enemy. Nimrod, disguised as Roger, interrupted and helped Lumian avoid committing to anything, leaving Gardner suspicious of the Stinger Gang.

• Lumian arrived at Gardner Martin’s villa and suspected Gardner planned to provoke a conflict between him and Roger before using the police to control them.
• Gardner summoned Lumian to his study, where Lumian recognized Franca and refused to act as though he wanted an alliance.
• Nimrod entered disguised as Roger and told Lumian not to let Gardner manipulate him.
• Lumian claimed he had completed his boss’s task and said the Sava Party wanted cooperation rather than conflict.
• Nimrod left to speak with Police Commissioner Everett, while Gardner ordered Rat Cristo to investigate possible dealings between the Sava Party and the Stinger Gang.
• Gardner concluded that Roger’s new confidence and intelligence suggested the Stinger Gang had gained support from a Beyonder.

Lumian discovered that Franca was a fellow transmigrator connected to his sister, Muggle, and agreed to keep her identity secret while asking for her help investigating Muggle’s death. Franca offered to share information and warned him not to trust Roger, while Lumian planned to consult Nimrod about their meeting.

• Franca privately questioned Lumian about Passion’s boss, and Lumian realized her phrase “Life is short. Why not give it a try?” identified her as someone from his sister’s world.
• Lumian repeated the phrase, prompting Franca to recognize that he knew about the Curly-Haired Baboon Research Society and arrange to speak with him the next night.
• Lumian told Franca that he was Muggle’s younger brother and described his search for the truth behind her death and a way to resurrect her.
• Franca offered to help investigate Muggle’s affairs, warned Lumian not to trust Roger, and agreed to keep his search secret from her organization.
• Lumian defended Franca’s efforts to improve the dancers’ lives, while Franca privately realized he had misunderstood what she meant by asking whether he found her actions disgusting.

Nimrod questioned the True Creator about the Mirrored Original Creator and learned that ancient schemes had created another threat to the world. After arranging to buy Baron Pound’s house and visit Medici, he read a warning that Ince Zangwill might exploit Beckland’s repatriation to cause chaos in Backlund.

• Nimrod reviewed his progress, his plans for Lumian, and the dangers facing him across the Mysteries and Circle of Inevitability timelines.
• Nimrod asked the True Creator about Alista Tudor’s research, and the True Creator explained that the Mirrored Original Creator had been born from their arrangements and the peculiarities of Cheek and Tudor.
• Nimrod told the True Creator that Medici was in Backlund, then persuaded him to fund the purchase of Baron Pound’s house so Nimrod could visit the former King of Angels.
• Nimrod arranged for Aurora Order members to contact Baron Pound and planned to finish digesting Fire Thief through Medici.
• Nimrod read a letter warning that Ince Zangwill might exploit Beckland’s repatriation and death to plunge Backlund into chaos.

On a full moon, Mr. A found Fors suffering from the Abraham Family’s curse and offered a possible cure if she passed an assessment. Nimrod decided to guide Fors toward the Tarot Club himself, then turned to a smuggling opportunity and plans involving Medici, Trissy, and trouble in Backlund.

• Fors endured the full-moon whispers until Mr. A visited her and asked whether she belonged to the Abraham Family.
• Mr. A told Fors he knew a way to resolve the whispers but needed Mr. Fried’s approval before sharing it, leaving her hopeful about an assessment.
• Mr. A reported Fors’s condition to Nimrod, who decided to investigate her family ties and guide her into the Tarot Club without involving the True Creator.
• Nimrod’s butler reported that nobles wanted to use his ships to smuggle decommissioned weapons to the Southern Continent, and Nimrod agreed after ordering an investigation.
• Nimrod planned to free Medici, coordinate the Aurora Order’s missionaries, and write to Trissy about the situation in Backlund.

Nimrod entered the ruins beneath the house to confront the Red Angel evil spirit, Medici, and revealed that he was not Amon but someone who controlled Sefirah Castle. He summoned the Shadow Lantern and asked the True Creator to break Medici’s seal, while claiming the Hunter card as payment.

• Nimrod entered the secret Tudor-Trunsoest ruins, used his abilities to evade traps and control the snakes, and considered turning the site into a hidden base.
• Nimrod ignored the doors containing statues of six gods and went to the sealed chamber where the Red Angel evil spirit was imprisoned.
• Medici tried to lure Nimrod into opening the bloodied doors, but Nimrod disguised himself as Amon and then revealed his true appearance beneath the disguise.
• Nimrod told Medici that the True Creator had sent him, prompting Medici to realize that the figure before him was someone who controlled Sefirah Castle.
• Nimrod retrieved the Shadow Lantern, left it suspended for the True Creator, and asked that Medici leave him the Hunter card as payment for breaking the seal.

Nimrod recruited Medici to help the True Creator’s followers while Klein’s team learned that Ince Zangwill had escaped surveillance. After Dunn sent a sealed letter to Mr. L, a strange message revealed a location, and Dunn and Daly rushed to back up Klein and Leonard.

• Nimrod took Medici out of the ruins and directed him to assist Mr. A and the True Creator’s followers.
• Dunn told the Tingen Squad that Ince Zangwill had escaped using 0-08, though evidence linked him to the Demoness Sect.
• Dunn secretly gave Klein a letter addressed to Mr. L, and Klein sent it through Nimrod’s messenger without opening it.
• Klein and Leonard left the next morning to handle a client’s commission while Dunn and Daly searched for Ince Zangwill.
• A messenger delivered a paper with strange place names, and Dunn told Daly they were going to back up Klein and Leonard.

Klein and Leonard were ambushed by Rosago, a Sequence 5 Marionettist, while riding a public carriage. Klein summoned Nimrod’s messenger to disrupt Rosago, then Dunn and Daly arrived and helped Klein bring him down with a shot to the head.

• Klein told Leonard he suspected their commission was a setup and kept Dunn’s letter secret.
• Rosago revealed himself as a Marionettist and began controlling Klein and Leonard in the carriage.
• Leonard used his mysterious ability to take Klein’s marionettization onto himself, while Klein summoned Nimrod’s messenger and escaped Above the Gray Fog.
• The messenger’s incomplete mythical creature form nearly made Rosago lose control, but Rosago escaped its gaze with Flaming Jump.
• Klein carried the unconscious Leonard toward an open area as Rosago pursued them with flames.
• Dunn and Daly appeared, and Dunn’s Requiem slowed Rosago enough for Klein to shoot him in the head.

Klein killed Rosago and learned that his victory would earn him the ingredients and merit needed to advance toward Sequence 5. Nimrod then sent Trissy a letter with a messenger’s summoning instructions, but she burned the letter before she could use it.

• Klein killed Rosago, and Dunn and Daly confirmed the Marionettist was dead and arranged the cleanup.
• Daly told Klein that Rosago’s spirit had revealed later Seer pathway potion formulas, while Dunn awarded Klein Rosago’s Beyonder characteristic and approved his advancement to Magician once his potion digestion was assessed.
• Nimrod learned that his messenger had sensed Sefirah Castle’s aura around Klein and told it that Klein was his chosen, whom it could help if needed.
• Nimrod read Trissy’s letter describing her confinement at Prince Edessak’s estate and sent her a reply with a new honorific name and instructions for summoning his messenger.
• Trissy questioned the letter’s mysterious honorific name and considered using it as a last resort, but the letter caught fire and turned blank.

After digesting the Fire Thief potion, Nimrod collected the Dream-Eating Mouse and other Beyonder materials while planning Lumian’s advancement along the Demoness pathway. The Evernight Church accepted Nimrod as an ally, and Archbishop Anthony instructed Crestet to treat him normally under the Goddess’s oracle.

• Nimrod discovered that Fire Thief let him steal items at a distance, plant dangerous objects in others’ hands, and detect valuable objects nearby.
• Nimrod planned to check the Dream-Eating Mouse for hidden arrangements before advancing, and considered gathering Witch pathway ingredients for Lumian.
• Crestet Cesimir brought Nimrod the Beyonder materials, including the Dream-Eating Mouse, and Nimrod gave him a sealed Antigonus Family Marionette as a token of goodwill.
• Nimrod met Leonard outside the Detective Agency and offered to make a deal with him.
• Crestet told Anthony Stevenson that he had recovered the Antigonus Family Marionette, and Anthony said the Goddess’s oracle required treating Nimrod as an ordinary ally.

Nimrod completed the Dream Stealer advancement ritual by entering the dreams of Roger’s subordinates and using their images of him to withstand the potion. He then showed Lumian the Red Priest Card of Blasphemy and explained that Lumian would need to switch to the Demoness Pathway at Sequence 7, leaving Lumian eager to pursue Louis Lund and the Stinger Gang.

• Nimrod used Dream Infiltration to enter the sleeping Stinger Gang members’ dreams and establish himself as a principal figure in them for his advancement ritual.
• Nimrod drank the Dream Stealer potion and endured its effects as the dream images helped anchor his identity and wear away the Celestial Worthy’s imprint.
• Lumian awoke from a dream and saw Nimrod holding the Red Priest Card of Blasphemy.
• Nimrod told Lumian that an Angel of the Hunter Pathway advised him to switch to the Demoness Pathway at Sequence 7, and that Lumian’s sister’s soul fragments would gradually revive as he advanced.
• Lumian asked to go after Louis Lund and help eliminate the Stinger Gang, and Nimrod agreed but said they needed a careful plan because Louis might approach him for protection and Roger’s identity was no longer suitable.

Lumian asked Nimrod whether he had been watching over his sister’s affairs, and Nimrod affirmed his role as Lumian’s father figure. Later, Lumian hunted down a kidnapper in the Market District and discovered the attacker was a Sex Addict Beyonder, while his victim’s fighting ability made Lumian suspect she was an Assassin.

• Lumian asked Nimrod whether he had been investigating his sister’s affairs, and Nimrod told him he would take on the role of his father.
• Lumian noticed heavy footprints and a faint perfume scent in the Market District, then ordered his subordinate to secure the area while he followed the trail.
• Lumian tracked the footprints into quarry tunnels and saw a man in a blue flat cap pull a young woman from a sack.
• Lumian recognized the man as a Sex Addict Beyonder and shot him several times to stop his assault on the woman.
• The young woman kicked the attacker and displayed unexpectedly strong fighting skills, leading Lumian to suspect she was an Assassin.
• The wounded man raised his head with a dark green gleam in his eyes, and Lumian shot him in the skull, deciding he would have to use Spirit Channeling.

Lumian rescued Jenna from a would-be kidnapper, concealed the corpse through a ritual, and revealed that he knew she was an Assassin. After Jenna praised him as a lion like Franca, Nimrod learned about Anthony’s situation and asked Lumian to bring him the next day.

• Lumian killed the man who had tried to abduct Jenna, then bound and blindfolded her while he performed a ritual to send the corpse to Nimrod.
• Lumian freed Jenna and told her he had disposed of the body through a mystical sacrifice, then reassured her that he had no connection to evil gods.
• Lumian revealed that he knew Jenna was an Assassin and claimed to be a Hunter, explaining that he had saved her because dangerous prey could not roam his territory.
• Jenna said Lumian reminded her of Franca and called him a lion, then left to return home.
• Nimrod learned about Anthony’s situation, summoned Lumian’s crimson star, and told him to bring Anthony to see him the next day.

Nimrod returned to the Circle of Inevitability Timeline, created a talisman containing a Warlock Gift, and learned that the Celestial Worthy wanted him to use talismans to steal power from the Outer Deities. He then met Medici beneath a manor, where they discussed Nimrod’s plans involving Ince Zangwill and Medici’s attempt to recover a High Sequence characteristic for the True Creator.

• Nimrod reasoned that timeline travel caused different kinds of errors and decided he still had to advance his Sequence before the Apocalypse.
• Nimrod performed a ritual to transfer the Warlock Gift from Sefirah Castle into a charm, and the Celestial Worthy identified it as a talisman used to steal power from sealed Sefirot.
• Nimrod arrived at an Underground Church and found Medici teaching Mr. A and the missionaries how to preach the True Creator’s faith.
• Medici questioned Nimrod’s motives for gathering followers, and Nimrod said he wanted to use the Aurora Order to deal with Ince Zangwill in Backlund.
• Medici analyzed Adam’s likely involvement and said he needed to recover a High Sequence characteristic for the True Creator without letting the Lord of Storms obtain it or a certain quill.
• Nimrod left Medici to handle the matter while he attended to his other plans.

Nimrod brought Klein to a private underground base in Fourth Epoch ruins and asked him to help prepare it. After Klein divined that the hall was safe, he wondered whether the ornate chamber had once held the gods’ thrones.

• Nimrod asked Klein about work and explained that he wanted to make a recently purchased property into a secret base for them.
• Klein agreed to join the project but insisted on contributing so their partnership would be equal.
• Nimrod led Klein into underground ruins from the Tudor-Trunsoest United Empire and cleared away snakes that frightened him.
• Nimrod demonstrated that he could retrieve objects from his gray fog, and Klein reflected that their gray fog spaces seemed to work differently.
• Klein entered Sefirah Castle and divined that the hall was safe, though objects behind distant doors posed some risk.