The crew investigates more into Veldren’s disappearance. They go to the headquarters of the Red Sashes. Eklipsis and Reynard meet with one of their sword instructors, Ms. Thena Sankara, who greets them and offers them tea. Eklipsis uses her Iruvian heritage to her advantage in the conversation and gets Ms. Sankara to look at the brooch that they found. She recognizes it as a symbol of the Circle of Flame, which is an underground organization that positions itself as a group of scholars, but Ms. Sankara explains that the Red Sashes have run up against them before and they have a darker side.

She doesn’t specifically know Veldren, but she mentions a nearby opium den in Charhollow that houses a lot of people like him, who use drugs to create visions and expand their consciousness. The place is at the cross streets of Taylor’s Ave. & Ash Way. Eklipsis thanks her and they head out.

Later at the opium den, which is a large but nasty place in the sub-basement of another building, the group finds a gathering of degenerates and ask them about Veldren. One man with an unkempt appearance and very few teeth offers that Veldren used to come here often, but hasn’t been around in a few weeks. He points out the bunk that Veldren usually uses, however he expects a payday for the information he’s given. Reynard finds a leather bound journal in a pile next to the bunk. The toothless man asks for payment for the info but Eklipsis just gives him a brass penny. The man isn’t happy but the crew just leaves.

Back at the lair, Eklipsis studies the journal and most of it is gibberish, but some sections actually make sense. There are references to an eagle, and that those who follow the eagle will use its eye, its claw, and its heart to destroy their enemies. It also says that “the seven are one, but the one in seven is a destroyer.” Reynard recalls that in his dealings with the Circle of Flame, since he knows some of them, they do mention ancient relics called the eye, hand, and heart that they are seeking. The party thinks that Veldren may have been kidnapped by the Circle because they think he has information about these relics, or perhaps because he knows too much.

Eklipsis goes to Stazia’s apothecary shop and lays out everything that she’s found so far about Veldren’s disappearance. Stazia is shocked to hear that the Circle of Flame may be responsible. He says that he doesn’t have much clout to go against a big organization like the Circle, but if Veldren were returned he would offer the group 2 coin. He is a good friend, and he also helps Stazia with testing out his concoctions.

The party considers having Reynard talk with the Silver Nails, who are a group of Severosis who oppose the Circle of Flame. However, it’s decided that this is too risky and they will try to take some turf from the Cabbies instead. They will break into one of their nearby hubs where the goats and carriages are stored and sabotage the carriages so they will break down and cause them to lose customers.

They slide over to the building from a nearby abandoned structure and Raven gets across expertly, but the other 3 almost fall and he has to catch them with another rope. Reynard sends Kit into the building to scout and she sees 6 guards on this level. There are storage crates and offices but most of them are locked.

Eklipsis and Raven sneak in, and Eklipsis uses her blowgun to deliver a dose of drugs to one of the guards at the top of the stairs. He becomes confused and starts to see shapes. His friend is distracted by this and Raven goes to take out his legs. He does knock the other man down, but his lantern shatters on the floor and the other guards are close to alerted.

Eklipsis tries to shoot another dart but sucks it in by accident and drugs herself. Raven slams into the second guard with his elbow as he is trying to get up and both of them land in a nearby office unconscious.

Foggy calls a ghost and scares off one of the guards, but another one saps him in the back of the head.

Eklipsis and Raven head downstairs under the cover of their cloak but they trip and land hard at the bottom. There are four guards near them but luckily they are not seen. The guards hear the noise upstairs and rush there to find out what is going on.

While Reynard and Foggy continue to fight off the guards, Eklipsis and Raven rush past the goats and desperately try to sabotage the carriages. The acid is not working quickly however, and they are not making progress. (0 of 6 segments filled in on the clock.)

Reynard tries to hide from the guards, but in doing so overturns a cabinet in one of the offices and it lands on his leg, fracturing it.

Foggy decides to pull out the stops and produces the Spirit Focus, quickly attuning to it before the guards get to him. He immediately sees a landscape of a blasted plane and a clear sky, with the sun beating down on him. A shape descends from the sun, a pulsing sphere with tendrils reaching out from it, and at the end of each tendril is a mouth. They are muttering, singing and screaming. It turns to Foggy and asks him what he wants. Foggy asks for everyone to be scared off, and the thing agrees to do this but says there will be a price later.

No time has passed in reality, and the spirit focus activates, sending spirits crashing through the floor, breaking a huge hole into it. They stream out and go into the five remaining guards, possessing them. One man has so many spirits go into him that his head explodes and he dies instantly. Another is carried off by the spirits and the others pass out.

The noise has caused a lot of attention, as alarms go off and people come from the outside to see what is going on. Two of the garage doors open as well.