Recaps

Klein’s search for marionettes led him to Azik and the mausoleum tied to Death’s legacy, where Azik chose to remain himself rather than merge with Artificial Death. The group parted, leaving Klein with Ludwell as a marionette and questions about Calderón City.

• Derrick told Colin Iliad about the rituals he performed while Amon possessed him, and Colin used The Fool’s response to prepare Fate Siphon charms before leading an expedition into the former Chief’s mausoleum.
• Colin, Waite Chirmont, and Lovia encountered the former Chief transformed by black tubes and feathers, while Klein’s divination connected the vision to the Spirituality Religion’s Artificial Death project.
• Klein discovered Ince Zangwill aboard his ship and warned Backlund, then went to Gurain City to acquire marionettes and captured Enzo after a confrontation.
• Klein looked at himself through Enzo’s eyes while wearing the Flower of Blood ring and saw a terrifying light door before losing consciousness.
• Azik arrived to meet Klein, resealed Creeping Hunger, and took Klein and Enzo through the Spirit World to confront Ludwell aboard the Black Tulip.
• Ludwell surrendered to Azik, who ordered him to serve as Klein’s marionette for a year, and the group then followed Azik’s ring and intuition into a mausoleum tied to Death’s legacy.
• Azik confronted the feathered serpent bearing his face and learned that Death had divided his soul, and he chose to surrender the other half rather than merge with Artificial Death, and a mysterious woman helped him leave as he was.
• Azik gave Klein his copper whistle and vanished to sleep, while Klein kept Ludwell and later learned from Arrodes that Calderón City had been Gregrace’s earthly divine kingdom before entering the Spirit World.

Klein explored Calderón City and defeated a Spirit World Plunderer, while the investigation into Ince Zangwill uncovered his alliance with the Red Angel and 0-08. The hunt ended with Klein killing Ince, Adam confirming Klein had digested his potion, and Daly finding comfort in a vision of Dunn Smith.

• Klein summoned Al Moria, learned Calderón City was the dangerous remains of Gregrace’s divine kingdom, and began preparing to hunt Spirit World Plunderers there.
• Klein entered Calderón City with Enzo and Ludwell, survived a Spirit World Plunderer’s attack, trapped it with a Fate Siphon charm, and escaped with its soul and Beyonder characteristic.
• Klein and Leonard learned that Ince Zangwill was possessed by an evil spirit, while Leonard and Daly investigated his movements and Derrick joined Colin Iliad’s expedition to North City.
• Ince’s notebook revealed that he and Sauron Einhorn Medici had staged the possession to mislead the Church and planned to kill Ilya, Leonard, Daly, and the other avengers from Tingen.
• Adam confronted Ince in West Balam as Ince used 0-08 to summon Ouroboros, but a giant cross trapped them, and Klein answered Danitz’s prayer and joined the battle against Ince.
• Klein and his allies drove the Red Angel spirit from Ince and sent it into the Underworld with Ludwell, but Ince used 0-08 to trap Leonard and Daly in a dream and unleash deathly powers.
• Daly persuaded an unknown creature not to take Ince, while Leonard used a Fate Siphon charm and Klein arrived with Death Knell to kill Ince with a final shot.
• Adam told Klein he had completed digesting his potion and disappeared, and Klein comforted Daly with news that Dunn Smith had liked her, then gathered ingredients, made a potion, and drank it.

Klein completed his advancement, discovered that Earth’s transmigrators had been trapped in cocoons, and drew new allies into the Tarot Club as threats gathered around Backlund. The arc left Klein returning toward the city, Emlyn assigned to investigate the Rose School and a corrupting castle, and a mysterious Calamity active under the crimson moon.

• Klein completed his Bizarro Sorcerer advancement, restored Daly’s body, and told Leonard to take her home while leaving the Church.
• Klein discovered three broken cocoons among the Earthlings suspended above the gray fog and began considering how he and others had transmigrated.
• Audrey helped Gehrman confront the grief of waking to find his former life lost, while Klein resolved to seek clues about the cocoons.
• Fors and Xio explored the ancient castle, fought two spirits, escaped its corruption, and joined the Tarot Club as Magician and Judgement.
• Klein completed the arms deal in West Balam, paid Reinette Tinekerr, and left after sensing danger as Ludwell and Medici’s group pursued him.
• At a Tarot Club meeting, Klein revealed Adam’s rise toward godhood and warned the members that Adam could learn about those who spoke or thought of him.
• Klein investigated a Moon Primordial cult’s sacrifice plot, confronted the descending Demigod, and learned that the Saint they served was called Warlock King Calamity.
• Duke Omer assigned Emlyn to investigate Rose School of Thought members and retrieve a Sanguine relic, while warning him that the ancient castle held a corrupting sealed presence.

Klein returned to Backlund, where he encountered Amon while pursuing a Marauder demigod and began preparing with Leonard and Pallez to counter Amon’s avatars under concealment. Meanwhile, Audrey faced Herabergen Rambis’s manipulation, Emlyn organized a plan to capture Ernes Boyar, and Klein explored ways to advance and create safe darkness for Derrick’s ritual.

• Klein met Nast aboard the Black Emperor and heard his memories of Roselle, then returned to Backlund and ordered Patrick Bryan to halt the Spirituality Religion’s rituals.
• Audrey met Herabergen Rambis, resisted his mental influence, and resolved to share only unimportant details about her father’s views.
• Klein pursued a Marauder demigod at Elk Manor, but Amon appeared, absorbed her, and escaped with Hibbert.
• Klein warned Leonard about Amon, and Pallez agreed to help oppose the avatars if they had the protection of concealment.
• At the Tarot Gathering, the members traded mystical items and planned to lure Ernes Boyar into an Earth Mother church, while Audrey revealed Rambis’s request for information.
• Arianna appeared to Klein and gave him an Evernight emblem that could provide concealment for the operation against Amon.
• Klein questioned Arrodes about safe darkness and the Scholar of Yore formula, then created Spirit Control Bullets and asked Patrick Bryan to find higher-level ammunition.
• Leonard planned to requisition sealed artifact 3-0782, while Emlyn paid Ian to post a bounty for Ernes Boyar and gather information about the Rose School of Thought.