Dude, only we can see this namespace, if you don't count the occasional script kiddie that boots a “hack into corky livecd” :p - so no holding back.

Name above is working title, but might grow on me.

To business.

Gods exist. From the dawn of time they have walked among us, and no one knows why, how or from where. They are vastly powerful, but far from omnipotent. Gods can mate with humans and amongst themselves. The results are never predictable, but it is a fact that gods get born every once in a while. And although they are immortal in theory, in practice many have died - almost always in a violent fashion. Alexander the Great was a famous short lived minor god. So, perhaps, was Hitler.

It is true that their fame has dwindled since the old days, when their glories were sung from every corner, but do not be fooled - thanks to the miracles of society and technology gods hold a greater sway on us than ever. And while Baal and Ishtar and Zeus may be dead, Jupiter still employs his thunder (recently in the bombing of Iraq) and Odin is said to be running half the EU. The gods still rule, and it is by their own choice that they went underground.

Of course, some gods still dispute that decision.

Even the gods themselves do not know much of their ancient history, but it is clear that they had a profound role in the development of human civilization. Some claim they initiated it originally, or at least nurtured it and shaped it to their needs. There is even a neat theory, of which I am a fan, about how gods “domesticated” humans into something that can form a productive society.

These days, the oldest known gods only barely remember the old Mesopotamian pantheon, and their memories have been so twisted by myth and age that not much can be certain about them at all. Most of them are said to have been slain by the younger Egyptian gods, some of which may still be around.

Yahweh is generally considered to have existed and perished many years ago. Some say El was his son, some say it was just another name he used. Jesus, who was obviously also a god, claimed to be the son of El, come to avenge his father, but more of him later.

The Greek gods were a great family which managed to control (AKA “nurture”) the entire Hellenic civilization for more than a thousand years. Towards the end of that period, Apollon, the young god of light (a stand-in for Helios, who met a tragic fate), started feeling a bit oppressed by his elder Olympians, especially Zeus. He deserted, and along with the powerful but feeble-minded Jupiter jump-started the Roman empire and the Roman pantheon. Within a few decades they eradicated many of the Greek gods, and almost all of the Olympians.

Much divine blood was shed during this time by the Roman gods, and it was against their bloody rule that Jesus son of El preached. Apollon, now called Apollo, personally nailed him to the cross. Common belief is that Jesus died upon the cross and the whole resurrection thing is just a myth - one that was encouraged by Apollo himself, for reasons detailed below.

Apollo became more and more paranoid with age. If anything, the history he helped shape has taught him caution, and he was probably the first god to realize what is today pretty common knowledge: being directly worshiped just isn't safe anymore.

During the next few centuries, the Roman gods, led by Apollo, went underground. They systematically erased their own existence as anything other than myth, making much use of Christianity - both as a misdirection and as a means of organizing followers in a relatively safe fashion. Today, the Roman Catholic church is nothing more (or less) than a front for the strongest family of gods in the world.

The full reasons for the Masquerade are not yet entirely clear to me, as DM, so Bo, we should discuss this; but I think it safe to assume that if you are directly worshiped, you can be found, and if you can be found, you can be killed. Either by other gods or, as technology progresses, by mortals.

In any event, it is clear that most other gods, some sooner and some later, realized that the Masquerade is a good idea, and it has been strictly adhered to for many centuries. The last serious conflict in that regard was around a thousand years ago, when the invading Norse gods were vanquished and forced to sign the Treaty of Hastings. Some of the Norse survivors still wield significant power, using the Anglican Church as a front.

Sol is a relatively new Sun god. He was born during the middle ages, allegedly to Isis - one of the oldest surviving Egyptian gods - and allegedly from the seed of Apollo - who always had a thing for screwing his elders.

Sol never liked the Masquerade. He initiated the Heliocentric heresy, and held a small but powerful cult during the 15th century. The cult was eventually crushed by the Roman Inquisition, but Sol himself was banished (from Europe, I assume, or maybe from the western world). It is said that only Apollo's direct intervention stopped the court from sentencing him to death. It is also said that Apollo, being a god of prophecy, foretold that he will one day regret his decision.

I'm not sure what Sol did in the centuries since, Bo, we should discuss this. I suppose he played god to a bunch of primitive societies. Practiced. Schemed. But during the late 80's, a little while after the death of L. Ron Hubbard, he took over the church of Scientology, renaming it “Suntology” and using his divine power to turn it into the most successful cult ever, with millions of well placed followers.

The cult is led by a Saul Smith, who may be Sol himself, but may also be just a figurehead. Bo, we should talk this over.

Both characters are agents of the Vatican, which is a front for the Roman pantheon headed by Apollo, who were deputized Inquisitors and sent to inquisit the all-too-powerful church of Suntology. They are to ascertain the presence of supernatural involvement and to pin it down, assuming that once the true power behind the Suntologists is found, the Vatican will find a way to handle it.

Bo, we should discuss this handling. This is part of the reason I think Saul Smith may be just a figurehead, otherwise he would have been dealt with a while ago.

They both possess exceptionally powerful souls, which makes them valuable both to the Vatican and to Suntology. I'm not really sure why, so Bo, we need to discuss this too. Perhaps their real mission, the one serving the Romans, involves a bit more than they signed in for. Perhaps something like: there is a psychic bomb strapped to their souls that should go off when Sol is near - only more subtle.

Gabriel Delle is an African ex-cop in the service of the Vatican.

He was born in Nigeria to heathen parents, and became assistant to local missionary as a young kid. One day he traveled to a nearby village to assist the missionary in an exorcism. Something went awry and the whole thing ended with a fiery hell that destroyed the entire village and left him an only survivor.

This trauma made him realize that there is true evil in the world, and that true evil must be fought. This understanding led him to first spend a few years in the Nigerian PO-lice, where he made detective, and a few more years as a priest. Eventually he was recruited by the Vatican as a valuable inquisitor.

Deborah Black is a devote nun and a dedicated freelance social worker.

She was born in London to defunct family and had a very rough life, including much violence and prostitution and substance abuses of all sorts. At the age of fourteen she lost her eyesight, probably dues to the potent cocktail of venereal diseases she contracted at the “office”, but after two years of blindness - and right after a sexual encounter with an odd smelling gentleman (“we also have this blind girl here, lolz”) - she was completely and miraculously cured. And the first thing she saw was a church.

Deborah found her faith and joined a nunnery, where she spent the past decade, praying and helping children in need as a freelance social worker. Several months ago she was allocated by the special Vatican forces and sent to an intensive paramilitary training course, which she aced.

Here starts the first session

Our story begins in Rome, which happens to house both the Vatican and the head branch of the church of Suntology (Solariums, they call them). Gabriel walks undercover as his own cousin into the latter, and wanders around reading brochures. Sure enough, a signore of colour approached him and asks if he can be of assistance. When Gabe expresses sufficient interest he points out two available options. Gabe chooses the more expensive one, pays a hundred and fifty euros and is sent for auditing.

Deborah, at the same time, stands in a queue, approaches the main desk and asks about joining. She is offered a week long seminar for several thousand euros, she argues the price to great length, but still ends up paying several thousand euros, albeit several thousand euros less than before.

Gabe goes into a nice office with a nice desk and a huge banner (it's the Suntologists banner, found all over the Solarium to great effect). Behind the desk is an elderly and very professional man, and on it is a machine with twin handlebars that are connected to a bunch of boxes and a PC. The man tells him to grab the handlebars and starts asking him questions about his past - focusing on negative stuff to which Gabe has a strong emotional reaction. Gabe retouches his telling a bit, not wanting to blow his cover, but in general he talks and gets things off his chest.

The man seems surprised and then impressed by the readings he is getting. Gabe catches the reflection of the screen in the window - most readings are off the charts. Eventually the man shakes his hand, tells him he is an extraordinary individual, and asks him to wait while he consults his superiors. He returns with a big cheese named George who explains the individual nature of the Solar path and quickly sends him to the very same seminar as Deborah.

At the seminar Deborah “finds out” about the price differentials and makes a scene, but is told that different people have different paths and is offered to go audit the next morning, for extra charge. The sessions are very interesting, with great dynamics between everyone, under the warmth of the Sun Banners. Deborah rides the wave and pretty much leads the sessions. Everything fits in perfectly, except when she brings God into it, at which point she is gently reminded that this being an open seminar, with people from all sorts of different faiths, and that everyone should try and avoid hurting anyone else's feelings. At one point Deborah uses her pen to form a cross and examines the banners through it. She finds that the cross shades her from the warmth, leaving her out in the cold.

When she does a library roll for this banner she keeps seeing, she finds a close resemblance to the emblem of Paulus Solarium, a Catholic priest with some innovative ideas and a penchant for old-school paganism. He had quite a following, and was eventually found guilty of the Heliocentric Heresy and put to the stake by the Roman Inquisition.

Gabe gets into a talk with some seminar folk about Christianity. Most of the time he gets the same politically correct answer, but at one point he makes contact with someone who used to be a very devout Christian himself, and that guy tells him that “it's all there, except God isn't who you think it is”.

On the last day of the seminar, just as George is discussing the PCs future with them, a man arrives at the gates of the Solarium, all tense and soaking wet. Gabe's just about to approach him as he shouts some accusations at the cult and proceeds to self immolate right in front of their eyes. They try to help him, but are too late, the man is very quickly dead and Suntology security shows up, advising everyone to gather inside. Bo, I think it was really stupid of me not to let them do anything at this point. Slap me next time I do this.

Back at the Solarium the head of the local branch, a German guy called Hans Messerschmidt, speaks to the community, mourning the loss of life due to Internet propaganda and people's fear of change. After his talk the character's continue to discuss their future with George, who invites them to a special class with “someone very special” who is coming from abroad. This is very advanced stuff, and it is not made clear that this is the main reason George is even it Rome, and they will have to attend some evening classes during the coming weeks so they will be ready for it when this great personality arrives. They accept.

At the Vatican, using the Vatican database, they check out Vittorio Sunmoreno, the immolating man, and find out his wife has become a Suntologist a few years back and divorced him for being a bit crazy and took the kids with her. Quite surprisingly, their taskmaster, also named Vittorio, crudely suggests that they abandon this line of investigation, which for now, they do.

They attend some classes and catch up on their Pagan. Most classes are pretty small and pretty specific, but the students keep changing. It is really like each one is on a different path, somehow, that sometimes intersect at the same class. Eventually they get to meet the important visitor, James, a First Circle Lightbringer from the UK. They meet him along with George, the American big cheese, who is very excited; Federico, whom they have seen around in the compound and is also some kind of big shot; and Paul, whom they met several times as a fellow student in their classes these past few weeks. They talk, and gather strength from each other, and ask questions with obvious answers. But towards the end of the meeting, James says something about witnessing the light, and he guides each of the five students through a process of prayer and visualisation and such.

He talks to George, and sees his pain. It appears that george's wife has terminal cancer and only a few weeks to live. They prey for her.

He talks to Federico, and sees his pain. A shining star in the sky of Suntology, Federico had to leave his family behind him, in ignorance. They prey for them.

He talks to Deborah, and sees her pain. She is handling the case of a young girl who is quickly spiralling into a life of crime and un-love. They prey for her.

He talks to Gabe, and sees his pain. His brother, back in war torn Nigeria, has pissed off his wife sufficiently for her to walk away, and now he is drinking and gambling and falling into ill repute. James tries to prey with him, but Gabe does not with to sully himself with false gods, and - with a tremendous exertion of willpower - he pretends to prey to the Sol but is in fact praying to Jesus. This brings the whole ceremony to a halt, and it is clear to everyone that the disturbance is coming from Gabe. He is reproached and pretty quickly gives in, imagining himself and his brother and his family bowing to the Sun and accepting its blessing. How does Dotan feel about that?

They all have a very strong feeling that this is for real, and it almost comes as little surprise when George's wife goes into remission and when Federico's family joins the church and when Deborah's case girl gets adopted by Madonna or Angelina Jolie (both renowned Suntologists) and when Gabe's brother sees the light and goes to beg his wife for forgiveness. But before all that, James talks to Paul, and sees his pain. It is a pain they heard off, in some of the classes Paul took with them. He had lost his daughter in an automobile accident a few years earlier, and he preys to hold her back in his arms.