X-Champions Issues

Pre-Issue #31

Background:

Sihn has found the Necronomicon increasingly subverting everything he does.  At first it was merely the convenience and persistence combined - once transcribed to computer, it populated onto all of Sihn's computer formats (including non-networked; most likely a dimensional travel attracted to the target of its "infection") and could not be reliably wiped out, always reappearing.   As Sihn moved on his own, the book started to show up in very unwelcome places. He found it in Lefty's sleeping hand when he awoke one night. Another night, recently and more frighteningly, a copy appeared in the baby's bed - and the baby had the appearance of reading it attentively, however illogical.  The baby's eyes moved across the pages as they turned in an unsourced breeze.  

As Sihn fights its influence by eventually attempting to destroy it, each destruction of the physical copy resulted in its return to the vault he kept it in.  And any attempt at ignoring it soon resulted in its reappearance in unwanted venues.  As Sihn traveled the Dreamlands looking for more info on Bogeyman and following his footsteps, his own magic skills became subverted with those of the book. Spells reinvented themselves and began opening dangerous portals, including doorways not meant to be left open between dream and this dimension.  

Even a hasty research reveals that the Necronomicon, having found its intellectual equal, is using that equal to manifest a multi-dimensional corridor, but for purposes not at all clear. Most likely it is a Summoning of the beings who are reputed to have influenced and/or created it.  More studies suggest but do not prove that these beings are malevolent to human life - or at least human sanity. Worse, they are nearly omnipotent, far exceeding the Volcano God or other such Earth-bound forms Sihn has encountered.  

The course of action becomes clear, even as books start to burn in Sihn's hands as he reads them (in fact he starts to lose significant portions of his library): a portal must be opened into which the wielder of the book must physically travel.  In this other dimension, Sihn has to find the actual "real" copy of the book. He should be guided by his acquaintanceship to it as well as its now-inextricable link to him, as its equal. In fact, he is the book's only real hope on this plane for now, unless Laughton or Dr. Doom were to pick it up. It's apparent the book had no such hook for Kietersling - but it is possible Kietersling knew it might for Laughton or Sihn and perhaps he's planned something.  Once Sihn finds the book, he needs to destroy it. However, his own powers  will be unpredictable in what is essentially a "nether-dimension" the physical book exists in. This dimension is more like a nexus of dimensions,  a meeting place. As such it also houses many odd threats of its own.

With his mission looming, Sihn writes in his journal:

Part I

...From the Journals of Eliot Sihn

To be delivered to the following people should I not return from the journey I seek to undertake shortly. Hamlet Laughton, Suzanne Palmer, Dr. Strange:

I've come to the conclusion that I am a fool. That I have been meddling with things that must not be meddled with. That I have endangered lives with my haughty assurance that my scientific learning and analytical skills were superior to a mere book and the body of knowledge it encompassed. The Necronomicon - I shudder to even say its name aloud - has come to have a profound and nearly irreversible influence on my life, and on the lives of those around me. I must undertake a journey to destroy it, for it is evil. It is evil in a way I would have scoffed at mere weeks ago. But, in my intellectual arrogance, I was unable to see what was so blindingly obvious to lesser minds. My journey will be fraught with danger which I alone may face. My magico-genetically altered intellectual capabilities give me some strength with which I might fight the forces involved. I will face my fate alone.

The Necronomicon came into my hands on a seeming lark some time ago. Herr Kietersling had intended the book for Laughton. I'd heard something of the stories surrounding this work, and knew instinctively that Laughton's limited capabilities would not be able to penetrate its mysteries. I knew instinctively that if it was in his hands, it might be dangerous. I discounted these notions immediately, but, something small, something indefinable, and quite frankly, something horrible, began to creep into my thoughts. I took the book for "safekeeping" making sure not to discuss the issue with my teammates. I secreted it in my lab, reading and digesting portions of it during my experiments. It seemed to open new vistas of creativity. New understandings of questions never before imagined. New beliefs. New insights. I scanned the book, and placed a copy on my PDA for quick reference. While I could easily memorize the work, it seemed, for some sort of nostalgic reason, that I needed to see the text for it to have its full effect.

Much of the book at first seemed to be mere gibberish, ravings of some insane would-be wizard. Other parts of the book were more lucid, describing simple ceremonies based on physics far beyond quantum theories. Other references seemed strangely to echo some of my own researches into mutant genetics. At first I thought I had somehow hypnotized myself into seeing these things in a book compiled so very long ago. But, as time passed, I became aware of the truth - that this book was the gateway to a profound rethinking and redefining of science as we know it. What had at first seemed to be raving gibberish began to coalesce into clear descriptions and instructions based on a shorthand of rhythmic cants.

The main thrust of the book concerned an elder race that came to earth eons ago, and who still lay dormant in certain spots - notably near the areas from which Aela and her clan originated. The various rituals and formulas in the book described ways to wake these creatures from their slumber, and to call associated creatures from other dimensions - indeed from other entire realities. I must confess that I devoured these passages eagerly, and set about recreating some of the lesser rituals concerning animal sacrifice. My endeavors were immediately successful. Larger rituals demanded human sacrifice, a practice which is wholly abhorrent, even in the interest of science. Still, I found myself wondering if anyone would miss some of the villains we have detained in hot sleep. Thankfully, I stayed my hand, and committed no murder in the pursuit of this knowledge.

My mind could not stop working on the new revelations of the book. By chance I found that I seemed to actually be better able to absorb the book while I was physically asleep. Sleep became an eagerly awaited ritual. And my dreams... My dreams were more than just dreams. I don't think I need to describe these particular experiences, since the Justice Squad indeed managed to accompany me into this vast convoluted land on one occasion, and Dr. Strange is well aware of the topology of the Dreamlands. Suffice it to say that these dreams were a real awakening.

I began to apply the principles of the book to other applications, performing simple channelings and enchantments. It wasn't long before I realized I could replace the panoply of chemicals I carry with some gestures, incantations, and a magical staff. I was no longer bound by the limitations of chemistry. I was bound only by my own imagination.

I found legions of uses for these abilities. I no longer needed animals for testing. I no longer even needed much in the way of technological equipment. In fact, I realized, I could save a lot of money in Sihntek's manufacturing division through the use of extra-dimensional labor. Nearly anything I could imagine became possible - but the amount of power I could control was finite, and bound by the edges of my imagination. I found that music and art could help expand this, however, and plunged into the study and application of those pursuits.

My understanding grew. I'd long had access to devices that boost my natural intelligence. I used my new understanding to devise an even greater boost, harnessing the powers of earth-based science and the powers of extra-dimensional powers. Only, this is not power. Not physics. This is Magic. It took me a long time to admit it, but, I have indeed become a magician in the lay sense of the word. I still am not used to such an appellation, but I might as well describe things with the proper terminology.

As I harnessed the abilities granted by my new insights, I was heady with power. I was unstoppable. I was the mightiest intellect earth, or perhaps even this universe, had ever known. When people questioned my studies, I scoffed at their small mindedness. They were mere ants in fear of a wooden match. I understood how insignificant a match was, and knew I could extinguish it just as easily as I could strike it. I scoffed at their warnings, fully assured that the lessons opened up to me by the Necronomicon were a mere triviality compared to my new state.

I know of the journey undertaken by my comrades to protect themselves against me. The voices whispered it to me. They told me that the people I considered to be my friends were in fact conspiring against me. They told me I should strike first. I discounted these voices. Of course I knew Laughton and Suzanne were meddling in mystical matters far beyond their understanding, but, there was no threat to me. Would Laughton feel threatened if I hired another detective to check on him? If there was no threat, then why did I feel threatened?

Why did the computers exposed to the Necronomicon act so strangely? Why did Lefty fixate on the book? Why did my own infant son seem to be able to read it when he cannot even speak? These questions weighed on me. And then I realized that the book was not an object, but something indescribably more. It was something like an intelligence, and something like a gateway. Whatever it was, it was a presence all its own, and it was evil. The book had volition, and the book had an intelligence and will all its own. It was entrapping me and those I hold dear. At one point, I'd considered performing a ritual from the book to celebrate my son's birth. I recoil in horror now at that very idea.

In an instant I understood malevolent evil. I'd heard of the notion many times, of course, and, in my career as a crime-fighter I'd seen my share of "evil" villains. But, they'd all been easy to explain away as lunatics or manifestations of someone's desire for power. This book, on the other hand, radiated an evil that was beyond all this - an utterly nihilistic and destructive evil. And evil for evil's own sake. It had preyed on my arrogance, leading me along the way with bread crumbs until my power grew to the point at which I could do real harm to reality as we understand it. In the last blink of an eye, I think I managed to pull ahead of it, for now, I understand that the book must be destroyed.

Of course I tried a number of conventional means. Burning, acid, ecto-disintegration. But, the book seemed to survive my most destructive endeavors. Sometimes it would be unaffected. Other times it would vanish, only to reappear in my hand as I slept. It seemed to taunt me.

I know now that the only way to destroy the book is to travel through the void to another place and to destroy the spirit that animates the book. I know that the presence behind the book is expecting me, and I even suspect that the events of the last several months may have been engineered to lure me to this place. The is a dangerous game. But, I think I have the strength to prevail. I know my enemy. I know my enemy will be setting traps. I think I will defeat them.

But, I am not sure. Be advised that if I do not return within a week, that I might never return. I've done my best to protect the earthly end of the gate with protective sigils, but time was of the essence, and I go to fight a wily foe. I have brought this evil among us, and I will do what ever it takes to expel it.

Eliot Sihn

Part II

...From the Journals of Eliot Sihn

I hesitate to record this. On the one hand, if the information I record here falls into the wrong hands, great mischief could be wrought. But, on the other hand, this information may be needed at some point after my own demise to undo some great potential calamity. So, in the tradition of the eternal scholar, I shall set forth my description of my own attempt to free myself and potentially this reality from the grave threat posed to it by the book known as The Necronomicon. Consider deeply before reading the following passages. Those with intent to misuse this information will be the recipients of a curse I have attached to this text. Many others will surely find their notions of reality seriously challenged to the degree that they may no longer be able to function as sane individuals.

I've attached a note I wrote to several people describing my reasons for seeking the destruction of the Necronomicon. I had intended on requesting that Bob Rogers distribute the note to the people named therein only if I failed to return after one week. Unfortunately, such plans fell by the wayside as I began my preparations for my journey through the void.

Before beginning, I detached lefty and sent him away on a pretense. I rightfully feared that what lay ahead for me would be far too much for him. I then headed to the roof of the Sihntek building, carefully cleaned a suitable area and began preparing for the ritual.

As soon as I began to mark the necessary sigils on the floor, I could feel a subtle change in the area - an odd smell of ozone and burning flesh - not normal in the downtown Detroit air. A feeling of tangible dread seemed to be a physical presence in the area. I'd intended on doing my marking and arranging the necessary consumables before delivering the note to Rogers, but this new development worried me. As I finished the second circle, I began to see things - ghostly and horrible things that belonged in the nether regions of the Dreamworlds - or perhaps some other far more ancient and far more terrible place. Before finishing the final circle, I lit the candles and incense so I could start the ritual as soon as possible.

I decided to use a protective ward I'd deciphered from an ancient Egyptian source. The Egyptians were well acquainted with the evil I faced, and warding myself with the protective circles of Thoth, Isis, and Osiris seemed to be a prudent measure. The incense I used was acquired from the tomb of Akhenaton, (the heretic Pharoe) in order to form a sort of Mystical Egyptian Alloy of protection. The candles I made myself - formed from goat tallow rendered from goats born and sacrificed during a solar eclipse - one candle for each page of the Necronomicon. I used a minor incantation to slow the burning of the candles so they would last the duration of my chant. Still, that's a lot of candles to light. Twice, I managed to set fore to my robe. I'd advise that anyone attempting to recreate this ritual to pay careful attention to the setup and lighting of the candles. Having a few sentient assistants would be a definite plus.

In any event, as the candles sputtered to life, all light in the area dimmed. It was as if a black fog of lightlessness had penetrated the area, pulling the light from the very air. Each candle seemed to diminish the overall light, and, by the time the last candle was lit, I was in near total blackness.

The ritual itself consisted of chanting the entire contents of the book in a certain way that defies linguistic description. This must be done from memory, and it will take a while. When it is done, you must immediately enter the portal. I suggest a high-energy snack before starting, and a quick trip to the restroom.

I began my chant. As I'd suspected, it wasn't long after I began that I began to receive strange and alien visitors. Gere-Luce's damned robot appeared and started its cleaning routine. It noticed the lack of light, the candles and the strange energy in the air and promptly self-destructed. The energy of the explosion was absorbed by the darkness, and failed to extinguish even one candle. I couldn't decide whether this was a good sign or a bad sign, but more signs would come.

The smell of sulpher saturated the air briefly, then was gone. Whatever came with it, apparently surveyed the situation and left. But, there were things watching me. I could hear them shuffling about, and, from time to time, I'd catch sight of a stray tentacle.

As I drew near the end of my chanting, the darkness in the air seemed to clear. The strange feeling went out of the air. I could see that I was alone, and it appeared that I'd mis-spoken a line of my chant. I had about twenty minutes left, and, sensing failure, I considered consulting my notes. But, I'd come this far, and twenty minutes wouldn't make a great deal of difference in the overall scheme of my life, so I persevered. Five minutes later, lightning began to rain down around me, coming from a strange cloud overhead. It was as if the darkness around me had moved upwards into the sky.

As I spoke the final line of the chant, a jagged, glowing line appeared next to me, slowly widening into a sort of portal. I guessed that this was my stop, and stepped through it.

The Scene back in Detroit

The Justice Squad is hard-pressed.  The storm in Detroit, now a week old, worsens, now snowing violently with several FEET on the ground.  The damn dark cloud continues to lurk over Sihn-Tek.  Buffy and her gang, along with the help of the Mysterymen, keep Sihn-Tek secured from the outside, and watch over that gaping dimensional hole above the building in the dark cloud above.

The mayor is outraged.  He has camped out, literally, in Laughon's office, coughing up the now-tiring Sammy-as-Sihn-as-mind-read-to-by-Laughton-via-Spectrum to the press - and it's starting to fail.  The mayor knows though that he has to deliver more than words.  He's asked Laughton to turn to stone many times so he could reap abuse on him "unofficially".  Spectrum wonders what the mayor has over Laughton that he is the one man to whom Laughton kow-tows a bit.  The Justice Squad is searching for a solution.  They start searching through Sihn's things.  Not at all hard to find (at least not for Laughton - Sihn is over 100 INT now and sometimes overestimates), they read this note:

Issue #31 - Unearthly Terror

Sihn reaches the free-standing little house and the doors simply open to reveal a library filled with hundreds if not thousands of books, a two-story library.  Sihn is unsure to what degree this is illusion as every sense is filled with the library, including the odor of aging paper and glue.  In the center, downstairs, sits a glass case containing an old-looking book.  It's the Necronomicon.  

Sihn approaches, sensing it's a being and not just a physical object.  As he does, the library radically shifts into a lightly forested area with a large rock where the glass case sat.  Out of it sticks a sword, and the thing beckons Sihn, imploring him to test himself and lift the sword from the rock.  The mage-scientist resists any compulsion, recognizing that this is what the thing wants, this is what will liberate the being who IS the Necronomicon.  The Necronomicon dabbles in simple seductive conversation, talking of power and what it and Sihn can do together.  Darkness envelops the scene as Sihn resists; he lights a match off of his finger casually, and sees as a new scene emerges, this time the Necronomicon as the Lady of the Lake, offering him great power, insisting it brings suitable ability for him to do what he desires, claiming it makes him no puppet, rather an equal.

But as this conversation transpires, Sihn, with his great magical and perceptual acuity, senses something is wrong, that the being is feeding somehow.  He casts a strong protection spell and determines that he's been losing his mental abilities, not nearly to the point of insanity but clearly where it was headed.  He then heals himself.  And continues speaking with the Necronomicon.

The Necronomicon is steady in his resolve, unconcerned with Sihn's magical skills - and steadiness of mind in this strange realm.  Sihn challenges it, explaining he is familiar with its people, and accuses it of itself being crazed and deranged.  The "book" simply goes on explaining that if it is freed by Sihn they both can live like gods among the petty, insignificant ants of Earth.  It then says that Sihn is stuck; now that he is in this dimension, he can only leave with the Necronomicon's cooperation, as it holds sway over the book he has here - and the Necronomicon will not let Sihn leave until it can leave.  It turns out the Necronomicon's "dropping" on Earth, holding some resonance of its power, has been intended to guide any being intelligent enough to understand it ultimately into this nexus and to it.  Sihn says he doesn't care, he's quite willing to stay forever - to his death, if that occurs here - in order to ensure the Necronomicon never leaves.

As it now sits in Lady of the Lake form, Sihn grabs a hold of the thing, rending it, attempting to apply as much pressure as he can summon in this strange dimension.  He has found that he can focus all his mental energies into his physical strength on this realm, and does so (game mechanic note - a 48d6 haymaker).  The thing withstands the mighty force, appearing just a bit affected.

Meanwhile, a dimension away in New York City, Dr. Strange sits in Central Park, accompanied by a 3'6" tall grubby-looking man who stands idly by singing about eating raw fish.  The great mage receives a mental message from Spectrum.  Before she can really get to her point - regarding finding Sihn - Strange asks how Detroit is holding up (what with the portal and its attendant bad weather).  Things in Detroit are rough, but Buffy and her crew have kept things from being too dangerous by bottling up the portal and the strange beasts that would otherwise escape from it.  However, flooding from the constant rain and snow has caused a lot of property damage and a few deaths from related accidents.  

Spectrum, in explaining the Detroit situation, gets to the point and explains that they've found that Sihn embarked on a quest to destroy the Necronomicon.  He swiftly appears at her side (and that of Laughton and Sammy who are standing by with Spectrum) to have a face-to-face conversation.  He appears with the little grubby man, whose name turns out to be Smeagol and is studying under Strange.  Laughton jokes that he must be collecting for the little magician's fund; Strange asks "how much do you value your ability to move?"  

But the situation is too grave for further joking around, and Strange quickly explains what he knows about the Necronomicon - which is a good bit.  He enlightens the group as to its origin from another dimension, and explains a little about the portal dimension that Sihn has entered.  He is familiar with Nyarthalotep's existence there, but for reasons he cannot discuss cannot personally enter the strange nexus.  He does know and explains to them that likely Sihn is stuck there, though he is short on details as his own knowledge is more limited than Sihn's.

Hamlet Laughton brings up that Sihn warned the group in his writing how dangerous it is to go after him and that he's implored no one to follow.  So, he adds, he feels compelled to assist Sihn.

Strange brings up the existence of a flower which may assist them in entering the dimension, protecting, perhaps, their sanity.  Spectrum immediately knows what he's speaking of and calls (via cell phone as the Sihn-Tek tower continues to be protected by a massive protection spell) Willow, whom she's entrusted the Mongolian Charybdis with.  Willow is over quickly, bringing it, and Strange knowingly regards it.  He then says to Laughton, "Hmmm, this doesn't work so well for you, does it?" (see issue 29).  Laughton just laughs sarcastically.

Back in the nexus dimension, braces for another mighty swing at the living essence of the Necronomicon.   Again, a mighty wind-up is followed by little effect. 

Laughton asks Strange what about the backlash if the book is destroyed.  Strange is unsure, but worries that at the very least it will end magic on Earth, as he is sure the nexus is still a focal point for magical energy to travel.  He is more worried that it may be more devastating than that.  He also cautions that even if it is "only" magic that is affected, much more in Earth is magically related than even he likely realizes, so that may not simply turn off some super-powers - it may affect reality as we know it.

Back in the nexus dimension, the scene around Sihn changes as the thing changes to look like the "boy in the bubble."  As Sihn is exhausted, he grants that he is willing to talk.  He doesn't really mentally engage in the conversation, merely resting up and hoping to find a more effective way to strike.  He notes that the Necronomicon seems to quickly recover completely from what little damage it took.

As the rest of the Justice Squad determines what to do, Laughton calls his occult detective friend, Chiang.  He asks him to take on some of his case load as he is going "on vacation".  He does say, "Don't tell me about the cloud, though."  At the base, as Sammy explains what is going on to Jane, she insists on going in but after a time is convinced to stay and hold the fort.  As they prepare, Strange mentions he is sure Sihn is alive as he concentrates and further believes the portal would collapse if Sihn died.  A day on Earth passes as the Justice Squad tries to best prepare.  Laughton tries to hack into Sihn's computer, using the extra day to spend time on it, but never gets further than a "Nice try, Laughton" screen.

As more time on Earth goes by, Sihn makes a stab at seeing what more he can do to the Necronomicon.  He drops all of his magical power and turns everything off.  He tells the thing, "Enjoy eternity and find somebody else."  However, as the Necronomicon changes to resemble ET with its pod-finger touching the boy, Sihn realizes that the being is not feeding off him and his power exactly, as it remains strong.  It reaches out to teach Sihn a lesson, hurting him and dazing him.

Back at the Justice Squad base, the team discusses Lucretia Jones, whom they helped some time back (see issue 25).  They ask Strange to help reach her, and he leads a séance to do so.  They do reach her, but she explains this is not an area of her knowledge.  With their last apparent lead exhausted, Strange opines that it is time to move on.  He performs a spell to boost the flowers' powers, and entrusts them to Smeagol, sending her along.  He explains to her that this is a learning experience for her, and she will also be necessary to their protection.  Smeagol, inexperienced, bravely agrees and resolves to ensure that the team is not harmed.  Just before they leave, his thoughts turning to the many confusing details of his "regular" day, Laughton decides to allow the Mysterymen to remain in his conference room - even if he does not return and they stay there indefinitely.  They then head into the portal...

on the other side of which Sihn, awakening from his daze, ruminates on his child, thinking how he's doing this more for his newborn than anything else as he faces the staggering might of the Necronomicon. 

Not too far away, as the dimension goes, the Justice Squad's minds' reel as they enter the nexus.  The might of Strange's fortification of the flower helps them - mostly.  Poor Sammy goes mad at the vast nothingness which is rapidly followed by the senseless half-laughing gibbering of Nyarthalotep in the distance.  He raves about the sound, not able to stop chattering about the incessant noise of the dimension.  And the entire crew is affected in some fashion.  Spectrum and Smeagol go invisible, while Laughton finds himself stretched out and able to shift into virtually any element or position he wills, at a moments notice.  Fortunately, Spectrum's mind link is maintained and though she and Smeagol remain completely invisible - even inaudible - everyone can keep in touch.  They rapidly encounter the strange being Nyarthalotep himself, who directs them on towards Sihn, seemingly fascinated with their presence and the outcome.  En route Laughton turns the hapless Sammy into a cube of dust for safekeeping.  

Shortly they come across Sihn with the bubble-boy-looking Necronomicon.  They witness it transform into the sword-and-rock look.  The group now brings their various abilities to bear to see what they can do.  They start to realize that while punching does not transfer kinetic energy as it does in our dimension (i.e., at least the Necronomicon does not move when it  is struck with mighty force), the Necronomicon has no specific ability to stop itself from being grabbed and thrown.  They concoct a makeshift "baseball field", putting Sammy down as home base and batting the Necronomicon far and wide.  And although the Necronomicon can dish out its own mighty blow, it moves too slowly to stop the Justice Squad.

Laughton then changes into a gravity well after moving away from the Justice Squad and nears the Necronomicon, drawing it around as he wishes.  As they experiment, they find that as Laughton's form possesses an invulnerability to sonics he is unaffected entirely by the Necronomicon's ability to draw power from the beings around it.  Laughton turns Sammy into the form of cloud that inflicts ongoing, penetrating pain but more importantly blocks all sound, and casts it on the Necronomicon, who starts to become powerless.  Sihn gathers up mighty magics and prepares to strike further at the Necronomicon.

The thing is threatened, and willing to negotiate.   It pleads with the Justice Squad to leave it be, and guarantees safe passage for them to Earth.  They toy with it.  Laughton in particular is merciless, haggling over the choices open to it and threatening still to destroy it.  And of course he demands to know more about how it came to be.  It turns out the Necronomicon was, eons back, a lieutenant of sorts for alien beings he refers to as the "Old Ones".  He had made this dimension for travel between dimensions, but had somehow (likely through his scheming for power) displeased the Old Ones, who then imprisoned him here.  The being had hastily fashioned the Necronomicon on Earth - through a human - before his exile and had left it as a method by which he hoped one day an Earth-person might follow its clues, not knowing what power they would reach, and free him.  It was a desperate last act, and only took a couple thousand years to almost work.  Now he was forced to recant his worlds conquest in favor of survival.  He pledged to cast a spell that would destroy the Earth-bound Necronomicon - and all legitimate full copies - completely upon Sihn's return.  As Laughton bantered with the Necronomicon, Sihn verified that this was no ruse.

Satisfied, Sihn performed the appropriate ritual, which involved consuming the book, to lead the Justice Squad back.   Upon their return, in the early morning of November 10th, the Necronomicon, which reappeared as it was supposed to after the ritual, burst into flames and vanished.  Subsequent studies indicated the same happened to all of the non-annotated versions on Earth - and the annotated versions being too incomplete to guide anyone, no matter what their genius, to the nexus, Sihn was satisfied.  At least for now the Earth was safe from the strange being, haplessly trapped in its realm.  And the cloud over Sihn-Tek dissipated and the storm went away, much to the relief of Detroiters.

Interlude:  Sihn's Journal Continued

Part III (of III)

...from the Journal of Eliot Sihn

Arriving on the other side, I was greeted by a general loss of perceptual control. While my physical form seemed basically intact, it seemed to be affected by dream-like exaggerations of self doubt. The strain on my cognitive system was immense, as my mind struggled to adjust to the new perceptual rules. This was as expected. After a time, I managed to pull myself together into a form more or less like my Troll form (in itself a manifestation of my own inner rage and self loathing.) This seemed to me to be a fairly appropriate form to use to approach this situation. Oddly, my flesh seemed to be slowly oozing off. It was hard to determine whether this had any meaning, but it was nevertheless unsettling.

The Other plane appeared to be mainly ... a void, unsurprisingly enough. Blackness permeated everything. Sound seemed to be totally absent. I gathered my thoughts and began to wonder where to head. I'd assumed that shortly after entering the portal, some sign would give me a clue about a destination.

And, so it did. A shining light approached rapidly from the distance. It seemed to be trying to communicate with me, sending images of Nyarlathotep into my mind. I quickly cast my "Contact Outer Mind" spell to be better able to communicate. The creature was apparently trapped inside this nexus, along with Nyarlathotep. I asked about the book. The being replied, ""I do not know this book, I deny that. But the thing you seek is behind me, at the center of the laughing that cannot be denied and always gets louder." This, by the way was an important clue as what would come later, but I missed it when it was given, and I missed it when it was needed. The disorientation of the nexus must have confused me. The beast pointed me in a direction, and that's where I headed next.

Along the way, I became aware of a strange property of this place: I seemed to be able to exchange my willpower, physical strength, and intellectual force [I'm not sure Sihn would be aware of "presence" as a distinct separable thing here], for each other, allowing me unimagined levels of each capability. I also became aware of an incessant, weird, laughing. Laughing over laughing in perpetuity. Laughing into my very souls, and a penetrating, painful way. This grew more and more uncomfortable as I continued on my way along the path specified.

And then, there it was. The Crawling Chaos. Nyarlathotep. My mind reeled in agony, attempting to absorb this unworldly horror. Men have died from less contact with Chaos than this, and I know of none who have survived with their sanity intact. I concentrated on the book, on my mission, and on the physics that made all this possible, carefully reconstructing every facet of my existence from birth until now while taking into account the insidious physics I now knew to be real. I constructed proofs based on impossible geometry. And, as the hours ticked by (or were they seconds? years?) My mind healed itself, absorbing this new revelation. Nyarlathotep was a reality in my perceptions. He was now a part of the new life I had reconstructed in my mind. My body was wrenched with pain as my skin seemed to be pealed away and as my flesh dissolved and reformed. I didn't dare look at what I had become.

As I came back to my senses, the being pronounced simply, ""The book reclaims itself. I had thought only when the Old Ones decreed it...perhaps they have...perhaps they have not. You will be a God. Or a thing that crawls into the bosoms of rats at night. You will find the book as I will stand aside. Goodbye." It then moved itself in such a way as to reveal a new direction of travel. I proceeded.

At length, I can across a small house with a door, but no windows. I entered, and found a library, with a book displayed at the center. The Necronomicon.

It asked me why I had come. I said I had come to destroy it. The scenery changed. Where once there had been a book, there was now a stone with a sword protruding. It asked if I wouldn't rather join it for godlike power over my own dimension. I demurred. The experience with this evil being - the rebuilding of my very essence - these things seemed to give me a new resolve - perhaps even a purpose. The book changed form to resemble Lady Nimue, the Lady of the Lake. I threw all my power into my strength and attacked it with all my might. A few seconds later, and I had hardly made any difference at all. And, more horrible, I could tell that it was growing in strength as it drained some sort of energy from me - some sort of energy I could not readily define. The book only taunted me, continuing to offer untold power for my cooperation, and pointing out that I would never escape the dimension, and that I could never defeat it. Indeed if I did defeat the book, the consequences to my own dimension might be dire indeed.

And then, I heard, in my mind, familiar voices. The rest of the Justice squad had arrived, shielded by the mystical ward they had obtained to defend themselves against me, and aided by Doctor Strange. Sammy immediately succumbed to the madness of the dimension. Laughton subdued him. As I continued my cat and mouse game with the Necronomicon, the group approached. Their ward shielded them from the ravages of Nyarlathotep, though Sihn's seemed a bit weaker than the others (who says magicians have no sense of humor). The brought with them a new person unknown to me.

As they drew near, the Necronomicon began to attack me, though I was able to easily shrug off the damage. I could see that it was drawing power from some members of the Justice Squad as well. This seemed to suggest that the power it was drawing on was sound - which explained the locaton near the incessant laughing. With this in mind, we stopped all sound, and the Necronomicon began to whither. I threw all my power into attacking it, and it soon began to beg for mercy, offering to allow us to leave the dimension unscathed, and offering a spell which would sever all ties to our dimension. I reviewed the spell while Laughton continued to bicker with the Necronomicon. When I was satisfied that the spell would work, we departed for our dimension (I performed a ritual in which I devoured the boom that had been handed to me by the Necronomicon. Otherwise it was essentially the same as the one I described earlier). Once through the portal, I cast the spell of disjuncting. Hopefully this is the end of this sorry episode.

My body did not seem to have changed superficially. I had, however, lost all of my mutant powers. The Troll is no more. An analysis of my own DNA revealed that I was now an "x" type mutant. On the other hand, my power over dimensional forces seemed to have grown markedly, and I appear to now have a remarkable amount of willpower.

I had been gone three weeks. During that time, the Sihntek building had been under constant attack by extra-dimensional forces. Fortunately the assembled super teams of Detroit were able to hold them off. I made immediate offers of reparations. Someone named Richard Weed is asking to speak with me. I'll stop this journal for now.

Back to the action of this issue:

Later in the week, on Wednesday the 13th, Weed visits the Justice Squad and demands an audience with Sihn as he sits in Laughton's office.  Suzanne contacts Sihn mentally, and Sihn calls Terwilliger about the new federal agent assigned to the Justice Squad, Richard Weed.  Terwilliger at first asks after Sihn, personally, to see how he is doing.  Relieved to find him well, Terwilliger explains that Weed is legitimate and that for now there's nothing he can do.  He does encourage Sihn to continue a "personal" relationship with him, more than hinting that he can continue to help Sihn on the government's behalf in exchange for information.

While Weed waits, Suzanne goes off to get coffee at his request - and takes her sweet time.  She does a few errands, gets some donuts for the Justice Squad members.  Finally, just as Sihn makes his way to meet Weed, she returns.  Weed makes his typical negative first impression, impressing on Sihn as he did the rest of the team that they need to "follow orders" and is both rude and arrogant.  As he goes through his typical "we don't have to get along" routine, Sihn flatly responds, "We are not going to get along."

Looking for relief, Sihn agrees even though it's early in the day, to go along with the Justice Squad and Weed to O'Malley's.  Weed demands they get the "drunks" out of the bar, and the Justice Squad, deciding to get more out of Weed, cooperate.  Sihn begins to drink heavily - but he hasn't the same constitution he had before, as the experience of his journey through the nexus has changed him radically, eliminating much of his "Troll" form.  And given his emotional state after the previous weeks of drama, the alcohol quickly gets to him.  

As the Justice Squad drinks with Weed, it becomes too much for Spectrum, who leaves to catch up with Willow.  Sihn begins to agree violently, albeit with irony masked to none but Weed, with Weed.  Laughton waits for Weed to have a few drinks, then brings up Fox Force Five.  He begins to prod at Weed, who laughs off the organization, though admitting full well he knows about them.  As Laughton offers a tit-for-tat deal, Weed pushes back and indicates he isn't about to stick his nose into their business, though he'll "put a word in".  Laughton becomes agitated at Weed's pushing back and what he starts to "realize" is a conspiracy between the government and Fox Force Five to get at him.  As he decides it's time to create leverage for himself, he suddenly turns Weed into stone!

Sammy decides to help out by carrying Weed back to the base.  Laughton has Weed stuck in deep freeze.  A short time later, he speaks with Spectrum and mentions that things went downhill, explaining what happened.  She becomes upset and demands that Laughton turn Weed back.  She comes close to exercising her mental powers but Laughton convinces her he will do so "shortly".

Then Laughton contacts Frank Beard of WEB and after a short bit of chatter gets to the point - he's turned Weed to stone and intends to keep him that way until the government stops playing games and reveals their collusion with Fox Force Five.  Beard is appalled and gets angry.  After some back-and-forth, Beard explains that there is no conspiracy with Fox Force Five, though he does know of them and can reach them.  He explains that Laughton had best not use his "leverage", that he will do nothing if Weed remains stone.  Laughton agrees to turn Weed back and let Beard assist him without pressure.  Not surprisingly, though, Laughton does nothing after hanging up with Beard, instead resolving to keep his bargaining chip.

During the day Suzanne, Sammy, Hamlet, and Eliot meet.  Suzanne raises her intent to get Jonas' brain back into his body, and Sihn surprisingly whole-heartedly agrees, expressing regret.  The experience he has gone through has changed him, although Suzanne is uncertain if he is doing so out of drunkenness (as it turns out later, he has sincerely turned over a new leaf).  Laughton is appalled at this turn of events, saying, "I don't ask for much from you guys," and imploring the others to wait until at least Jonas the Wonder Dog completes his mission with Fox Force Five, drawing them closer to Laughton's web.  As he's irate, Sihn suggests that if Laughton so badly needs to use the dog, perhaps Laughton's brain can be transplanted.  

During that evening Willow and Spectrum talk quite a bit, as Willow asks about the nexus.  Suzanne is short on details, the experience being rather hard on all involved.  

After Beard calls Laughton back and indicates he's put a word out but can do no more as he swears he has no further information, Laughton turns Weed back to normal and Sammy takes the still-unconscious Weed to his place, depositing him safely there.

Meanwhile during the night Sihn gets very drunk.  He begins to make calls from his office, first to Laughton, berating him for "selling out" to the government by cooperating with Weed (not knowing what Laughton has just done).  Laughton explains his strategy (ignoring for the moment his recent actions) is to pretend to play along to dupe the government into cooperating with his and the Justice Squad's needs and goals.  Unsatisfied, Sihn hangs up.  Then he calls Mayor Berry, accepting his offer to be deputized officially by the city of Detroit.  He adds, "You are my best friend!" in his drunken fervor.  After signing off with a confused Berry, he tries to contact Spectrum "for a drink" but can't reach her, as she deliberately screens the drunken Sihn.  Lefty talks to Sihn, asking when he will get to meet Aela (and not really noticing or understanding Sihn's state).  Sihn enthusiastically exclaims, "Now!  It's time for you to meet your mother!"  He then struggles home and, still quite drunk, explains Lefty to Aela.  Being a mutant herself and having seen Sihn through thick and thin, she isn't shocked though she is of course surprised.  In fact his drunken state - something he's never been in - bemuses Aela as she sees him to bed and ponders what to think of finding out she has a "second child".

The next day, Hamlet grimaces as Weed shows up to speak with him.  He can tell something is on Weed's mind and he braces for what is to come.  But he is surprised - though his intellect having already calculated a high probability for this outcome, only mildly so - when Weed thanks him profusely for "seeing him safely home" and asks him not to tell anyone about his being so drunk.  Laughton plays up the "favor" and formulates a plan to capitalize long-term on Weed's tendency to drink too much.

After recovering from a mighty hangover, Eliot Sihn takes Dr. Normal into his lab and begins some preliminary treatments, ensuring he's all right, and plans to take him to a clinic where he might be treated.  He's willing to pay anything, feeling terrible about his role in enslaving Dr. Normal, despite whatever he had done.

During the day Sammy and Laughton - only - receive a visit from Magneto.  Magneto, continuing to refer to them and others on a first-name basis, thus Hamlet responding to him as "Erik", speaks with them about startling information he has on ABC Laboratories.  He has evidence they are developing or experimenting on other mutants similar to Sammy, along with others not similar to him.  He insists that he needs their help in breaking into ABC, along with a couple of his own men, as they have the skills he needs.  He explains he came to them as they seemed to be the more amenable of the Justice Squad, and asks them to say nothing.  Laughton agrees, determining first of all he wants to know what Magneto knows, but second of all, and moreover, he wants to keep Magneto close and develop a relationship with him - for come-what-may.  Besides, he doesn't consider Magneto  a bad guy, simply as someone with some misguided passions.  And naturally, Sammy is quite willing to go after the organization that once imprisoned him and no doubt still yearns for his capture.

Later the Justice Squad meets, and Laughton, after discussing with Suzanne, decides to let the new, reformed Sihn know about their trip to Mongolia.  Sihn nods that he knew something was up and is not surprised.  However, he is surprised to hear that the name "Sihn" (which his mother took on arriving in America and is not, to his knowledge, his actual family name), when it came up, aroused China Left's interest and the fear of the guardian of the flowers.  He learns as well why - that Hamlet posed as him - and that China Left extended an invitation for him to reach his family in China.  As the truth is revealed about their trip, Sammy, managing to safe-guard his pact with Magneto and Laughton, reveals that he is quite fond of Mongolian grill food.

[Game Mechanics - Points Awarded...

General note - the "thoroughly defeating a vastly superior opponent" may not be strictly accurate (arguably it was "merely" superior) but given the fact that this stretched across several issues and involved such intricate role-playing as Spectrum and Hamlet's determination to seek out protection and Sihn's own long struggle with it, it fits as much for those reasons as for the cleverness required to stop the Necronomicon without closing the nexus entirely.

Thoroughly defeating a vastly superior opponent for the Necronomicon incident - +75 RP, +5 XP for Rodin, Sammy, Spectrum, Troll

Act of enduring heroism for saving the world by basically sealing the nexus from the Necronomicon - +60 RP, +.5 XP for Rodin, Sammy, Spectrum, Troll

Act of great "publicity" (within agencies)/bonus for Hamlet's sideways strike at the government - +26.25 RP for Rodin; "halo effect" for Justice Squad, +11.25 for Sammy, Spectrum, Troll

Sihn bonus for the journal and the side-play via e-mail; basically adding again his points for "thoroughly defeating" above - +75 RP, +5 XP for Troll

4 hours in character - +3 RP, +1 XP for Rodin, Sammy, Spectrum, Troll

Totals:

Rodin 164.25 RP, 6.5 XP
Sammy 149.25 RP, 6.5 XP
Spectrum 149.25 RP, 6.5 XP
Troll 224.25 RP, 11.5 XP

Totals to Date:

Dice 188.5 RPs, 14.95 XPs
Neumann 344.5 RPs, 49.05 XPs
Rodin 1436.5 RPs, 130.125 XPs
Sammy the Slime 1366.375 RPs, 134.8625 XPs
Spectrum 1288.25 RPs, 122.425 XPs
Steely Danelle 86 RPs, 10.75 XPs
Troll 1457.25 RPs, 136.25 XPs]