Session 6: The Scalpel Man’s End

The party then brought the Eye sigil to the Church of Hope, where Librarian Priest Frederick Keys revealed it was a replica of a stolen relic: the Sigillum Oculi Incisoris (The Seal of the Cutting Eye), taken five years prior. Frederick confided that the last known possessor of the relic was Marcus Vellum, a secret shared only as a favor to Liam’s father.

Seeking answers, Liam visited his father to discuss Vellum’s history and the growing evidence that the recent murders were tied to The Anatomy of the Eternal Vessel. His father revealed that the old surgical wing, W-9, had been decommissioned after a failed regeneration program. He also advised Liam to seek help from the Town Watch’s tracking dogs and gave him an expeditious messenger for urgent contact.

Meanwhile, Gideon and Rom underwent cybernetic surgeries at Jasper’s clinic. Jasper grafted a Power Arm and detachable limb to Gideon, while Rom received a Sigil Protector and Implant Vessel—augmentations that would greatly enhance their abilities but come at the cost of potential side effects. Jasper, ever the mentor, warned them to rest for at least a week and spoke with Rom about the nature of the Dark.

Elsewhere, Liam tried to track the killer using Godfried’s aid with his dog, Stella, but the dog was unable to catch the scent. Once more, The Anatomy of the Eternal Vessel whispered to Liam, seeking his submission—and once more, he refused. Dennis and his dog, Grendel, also attempted to track the Scalpel Man without luck.

Dennis later invited Liam to Etta’s apartment, sharing his findings on the case while they walked there. He confirmed that each crime scene contained etched bone fragments and preserved tissues—none belonging to the victims. All samples were of pre-Fall origin, and some victims had bone grafts that generated Dark energy within them, enhancing their natural Vigor.

In Etta’s quarters, the group discovered unsettling evidence:

• A jar under her bed contained a preserved rodent with surgical markings identical to her own.
• A forbidden soul-weighing prayer strip hidden beneath her mattress.
• A journal page, pinned with a rusted surgical pin, read: “Nissa says to keep it locked. But it calls when I sleep. I think the book wants me to finish the cut. It keeps correcting the diagrams.”
• A burned page from The Anatomy of the Eternal Vessel was found, still faintly pulsing with life.
• Her terminal, though wiped, contained remnants of files referencing “Miriam’s Syndrome / regenerative loop / soul inversion procedure / eye-scalpel sigil variant C.”

Liam revealed information about The Anatomy of the Eternal Vessel to Dennis, explaining its link to the murders. The revelation disturbed Dennis deeply—possession of such a Dark Artifact was a capital crime. The Anatomy reacted violently, trying to seduce and bind Liam again, but he resisted. Declaring the matter “above their pay grade,” Liam urged Dennis to focus on the murderer instead of the book.

Moments later, the page removed from the book shifted, showing a surgical theater Liam recognized: the W-9 basement wing. A man stood beside an operating table. The book tried to compel Liam to return the page, but he resisted once again.

Liam gathered the group at Jasper’s, ignoring the doctor’s furious protests about post-surgical hygiene, he prepped his team to go into the sewers. The page’s image changed again—this time depicting one of the biological “samples” lying upon the surgical bed, with the same man looming nearby.

The party descended into the W-9 surgical depths, where they finally confronted and killed the Scalpel Man, revealed to be Marcus Vellum himself. The book’s voice demanded Liam “finish the work,” but he defied it. Dennis collected tissue samples from the remains that Marcus was working on, confirming that this was the source of the pre-Fall graft material.

After the battle, Liam attempted to destroy the cursed codex using the stolen relic that they found on Marcus. Though he tore out pages, each regenerated. The book mocked him, insisting it could only be destroyed by one attuned to it. Liam refused the bond once again.

Before the night ended, Liam checked in with Nissa Kennard, reporting Marcus’s death and his intention to see the book destroyed—somehow, someday.

With Marcus defeated:

• Gideon completed his personal quest, “Unexplained Scar.”
• Liam advanced his quest, “Hunting a Killer.” He continues with the sub quest —“Destroy The Anatomy of the Eternal Vessel.”

At the start of the next session, the players will need to level their characters up to level 3. Remember to level up your side kicks as well.
  The party will be getting 8 (1d10) weeks of down time. This is 56 days. Consider what your characters will be doing with their down time and plan this ahead of the session to make things run a little smoother for everyone. When the down time ends, the session will resume on the morning of Feb 14, 113.
 

Paychecks

On the first of the month everyone gets paid. If you are of a rank within a faction that affords you a monthly income, this is when that payment is received.

Rent

This is also when you owe rent. This means that you need to decide on where you are going to be living for the next month and pay that out. If you cannot pay rent then you will be homeless this month. This means that you will either need to take advantage of faction housing or hope that a fellow party member will house you for the month in their lodging.
  And then we need to do the whole pay check and rent thing again!
  Consider how your characters would like to celebrate the holiday. If there is anything that you'd like to have them do that's special let me know so we can work that out a head of time. I'd like to make sure that we have a fun holiday "episode" for everyone.
  Jaxon will be turning 22 years old. How does he celebrate? If there is anything that you'd like to have them do that's special let me know so we can work that out a head of time. I'd like to make sure that we have a fun birthday "episode" for you.
  These special events (holidays and birthdays) will not take away from the down time. It will be assumed that the celebrations of such events have occurred around whatever work and survival tasks need to be completed within the camp.