Other London: Custodians of the Echo

As I've said before, I’m running a short Other London investigation at the moment.

We've started afresh because I want to see what new characters (covered briefly last time) and factions they develop during session zero.

I’ll have a bit to say about how the investigation went in due course, but here’s one of the factions they created (and I then fleshed out).

The players suggested something to do with the English Folk Dance & Song Society at Cecil Sharp House and a secret group interested in folk history. I then filled in some of the details (and put it in my faction format) between sessions.

Custodians of the Echo

• Concept: A secret society of folk music historians.
• Trouble: Extremely limited resources
• Goal: Track down "The Song of the Tree of Albion"

Folk songs are magic.

The Custodians of the Echo is the name given to a secret group of folk historians based at Cecil Sharp House. They are the true power behind the English Folk Dance & Song Society, and the EFDSS's members unwittingly help them complete The Song of the Tree of Albion.

There are always eight Custodians (a sacred number - a “square”), four men and four women.

The Song of the Tree of Albion: According to Austen's 1788 Compendium of British Song and Story, The Song of the Tree of Albion is an ancient piece of music and dance. According to legend, this composition was created by minstrel Aeldric Goodfellow, known as Aeldric the Melodious, for King Arthur. It is said to contain melodies and harmonies that can influence the natural world, heal the sick, and communicate with spirits. The work is composed of both music and lyrical poetry but was torn into seven pieces, each of which has been lost to history.

Lila Hawthorne: efficient EFDSS secretary, Custodian of the Echo, I've always had green fingers

Skilled (+2) at: EFDSS bureaucracy, folk history and lore, gardening and plant magic

Bad (-2) at: Anything to do with technology.

Stress: O O

Lila works at Cecil Sharp House where she runs the administration team. She is a keen gardener whose green fingers are aided by her use of plant magic. She sometimes wonders if one of her grandparents was a fae.

Information, rumours and lies

• The EFDSS's library contains Britain's best collection of folk history.
• The EFDSS library's restricted section contains several works of powerful magic.
• The Custodians of the Echo are all powerful magicians.
• The Custodians are all fae.
• The Custodians command the Black Drummers, an elite fighting unit.
• Modern Morris dance moves are loosely based on Black Drummer fighting moves.
• English ceilidh dances sometimes have occult meaning.

Questions

• What is the Echo?
• Where is the Custodian's library?
• Do the ceilidhs at Cecil Sharp House have occult significance?
• Are the Black Drummers real? Who commands them?

Allies: Desk 17, Whitechapel Coven, Lord Boston

Enemies: The Black Watch, Miniaturists

Location: The Custodians of the Echo can be found at Cecil Sharp House, the headquarters of the EFDSS.