Episode 2 - The Child Weaver

GM
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## Recurring NPCs

Sabri

Rail Care, Five Irons. A new dawn rises over Sayrem on the morning after last night's Dream. The Weavers of Five discuss how to approach the child-weaver Pashmina has contacted in the Dream. Together, they head out to their destination.

Melvin Avenue, Five Irons. Large buildings with large numbers of apartments. Affordable, numerous, and less noticable–or noteworthy, depending on who you ask–to most of the upper districts. While Pretty Baby takes in the surroundings, checking for possible trouble, he realizes that during their investigation of the Dream disturbances, many of the witnesses have mentioned others having asked around at the same time. His suspicion that others might be following the same lead is soon confirmed. Two strangers–neither Vanguard nor Jacks, but clearly no random pedestrians–are heading to the same entrance. Baby quickly releases Luna, his moth-like creature companion. The Professor's ruse of approaching the two by pretending to be a loitering drunk fails, leading to a scuffle that quickly turns violent. One stranger lies unconscious, the other dead. Concerned that the sounds of the shouting and Baby's gun may have drawn the attention of the neighbors, Pashmina moves quickly. She uses her ability to erase the memories of the surviving stranger and enters the building with Vee.

While the Professor waits at the entrance and Pretty Baby keeps a lookout on the street, Vee and Pashmina meet the child-weaver, twelve year old Sabri, and their mother, Hatice. Pashmina explains to Hatice, who has already realized that her child is a budding Weaver, that the Ministry of Rest will soon find and take her child–a fate Pashmina does not recommend. The only way to avoid it is to leave the city. The mother, however, asks Pashmina to train Sabri instead to control their powers so that they may stay in the city undetected. Pashmina is uncertain as to whether she wants to be a teacher to a child-weaver and decides to delay the matter until they all–including Sabri and their mother–have retreated to Rail Care.

The Professor and Pretty Baby notice another group of people approach, similar in appearance to their first attackers. As the group spots the one unconscious and one dead body of their associates, Pretty Baby uses Luna to lure them away and distract them. In the apartment, Sabri and their mother have packed their essentials and the group exits through a back door to a small alley way, already anticipating the trouble. Thanks to Luna's distraction, they all escape unseen.

At Rail Care, the Professor and Pashmina get to know Sabri, who, despite the circumstances, is very enthusiastic and curious about the Professor's many unique items and the prospect of learning about weaving. The group then discusses the idea of Sabri and Hatice staying with them at Rail Care and training a Weaver.

Meanwhile, Pretty Baby has decided to trail their attackers back to their base, a cannery in the district. With his eye for detail he notices their red armbands, and the image of a howling dog on each. The Red Dogs, a known group of thugs in the area, working for whoever pays. And the one paying them for this job appears to be a mysterious, well-dressed figure that appears in the factory, soon after. They speak with the gang leader. Something is changing hands. The figure leaves. But as Pretty Baby gets a closer look–the golden circle, the triangle, the eye; the symbol of the Ministry of Rest–the figure looks back, straight at him and smiles.