An academic society-turned-smuggling ring that “reclaims” relics from the ruins of lost civilizations. They justify theft as preservation — and profit from black-market auctions of “historically significant” artifacts.
The Circle is led by Professor Aldric Venn and his right-hand man Malus Thorne.
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Maintained a stash of relics and oddities in a windowless antique shop in Crow’s Foot, guarded by two thugs. In Session 1, the Old Town Echoes raided this stash, taking two large Shriekslate slabs and the spirit Mistress Ash (in bronze statue form). Session 1
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Furious over the theft of shriekslate and Mistress Ash. Asked Perrin Dask for help to wipe out the Old Town Echoes, but refused. Malus Thorne personally attacked Quellyn and delivered the message: “Tell those echo bastards that this is war.” Struggling financially after recent deal failures. Session 2
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Tailing the Old Town Echoes with at least three operatives shadowing Cam. One operative, confronted by Watcher, revealed it would cost 15+ coin to buy peace with Professor Venn, but showed no cracks in loyalty. The Echoes later planted a Reclaimer’s Circle challenge coin at the scene of their Charterhall University payroll heist to frame the Circle for the theft. Session 3
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Escalated their war against the Old Town Echoes by moving roughly a dozen toughs onto Third Street in Charterhall—the Echoes’ declared hunting grounds—and spending the afternoon shaking down the local merchants who pay the Echoes for protection. The incursion placed the crew in a difficult position: caught between their ongoing hunt for Cyril Lancaster and the immediate need to defend their territory against a numerically superior force. Session 4
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Made a hostile move into Old Town Echoes territory, threatening the Clerk St. Typesetters with hired muscle and three official members led by the smuggler Scratch. Session 5
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Suffered casualties, including Scratch, when the Echoes retaliated with overwhelming force to secure their claim. Session 5
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Supplemented their remaining members with hired street toughs and deployed spirit-tracking rituals to pursue the Old Town Echoes through the tunnels beneath Charterhall on New Year’s morning, 848 IE. The operation failed; the Echoes escaped to Six Towers, had the trackers dispelled, and earned reputation for the evasion. Session 9
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Remaining members confirmed to be operating primarily out of the Mortar and Pestle tavern in Charterhall, using the rear entrance to avoid public notice. Their spirits supplier was identified as Stillman’s Distillery in Southern Night Market. Operative Fat Eddie was observed departing via the back alley. A coordinated rumor campaign by the Old Town Echoes began eroding the Circle’s standing among district residents and tribute-payers. Session 10
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Their ale supply at the Mortar and Pestle was dosed by the Old Town Echoes, who intercepted a shipment from Stillman’s Distillery and introduced a sickness compound into the delivery. Session 11
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Suffered a crippling blow when the Old Town Echoes traced Professor Aldric Venn to his residence at Number 16 Camden Street, infiltrated it through the roof, gassed the household, and killed him in his bed. The Circle was left leaderless and reduced to its last holdings. It was already coming apart from within — most members had gone weeks without pay while Venn funneled the coin to his hired marksman Steiner, and defection and discontent were spreading through the payroll. With Venn dead and Malus Thorne still imprisoned in Iron Hook until February, the Circle stands on the edge of collapse. Session 12
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Destroyed. With Venn dead and no one left to hold it together, the Circle ceased to exist as an organization and its territory fell to no one. Its unpaid survivors scattered; a number of them were taken on by the Old Town Echoes as heavies under Fat Eddie, and the Glasskeys moved into the rest of the vacuum. Malus Thorne, the last of its leadership, remained in Iron Hook with nothing to come out to. Session 13