Petra 1: Rock and a Hard Place

Petra 1: Rock and a Hard Place, by Renae, is the first story featuring Petra Donner after she was "split" from Merry. The action takes place in Italy, over the period from November 26 to December 16, 2006, with an epilogue taking part in Brazil on December 17. In this story, Petra arrives in the Vatican but finds weird things happening, hooks up with a coven of witches who ally themselves with a militant Order of the Catholic Church to fight ancient evils that are surfacing.

The story was posted in eleven parts:

Part 1

Story Released on 2008-08-17. Takes place on 2006-11-26.

Part 2

Story Released on 2008-08-24. Takes place on 2006-11-26 through 2006-11-27.

Part 3

Story Released on 2008-08-27. Takes place on 2006-11-27.

Part 4

Story Released on 2008-08-31. Takes place on 2006-11-27.

Part 5

Story Released on 2008-09-03. Takes place on 2006-11-27 through 2006-11-30.

Part 6

Story Released on 2008-09-07. Takes place on 2006-11-30 through 2006-12-01.

Part 7

Story Released on 2008-09-14. Takes place on 2006-12-01 through 2006-12-02.

Part 8

Story Released on 2008-09-28. Takes place on 2006-12-02 through 2006-12-09.

Part 9

Story Released on 2008-10-02. Takes place on 2006-12-10 through 2006-12-12.

Part 10

Story Released on 2008-10-05. Takes place on 2006-12-12 through 2006-12-13.

Part 11

Story Released on 2008-10-19. Takes place on 2006-12-13 through 2006-12-17.

2006-12-13

In Rome: Petra, Rose, Michelle and Rider look at the remains of the Rose Palace, and notice that they've attracted a magically cloaked tail. Then something tries to attack Petra at lunch. She has a conference with Satan, bringing the prisoner.

Back at Lake Alban, they're kept up all night by zombies dribbling in one by one. Rider reports that they were getting their sacrifices by importing them: the illegal immigrant route.

2006-12-14

Petra and companions turn up a clue in the late Father Trovatti's office, and go to check out the person who delivered the "Jericho" painting. He's been turned into a thing. Petra finds a laptop and is then overwhelmed with a psychic scream. Everyone leaves the building, which then implodes. Petra starts to investigate the laptop, which seems to be working on a fuzzy logic system: true, false, maybe. She has to be hauled out of cyberspace, and then visits Satan to clean the mythos stuff out of her system. The incident has triggered a cascade of magics to rouse a Star Seed.

2006-12-15

At Lake Alban: they decide they have to move Petra to a safe place, she's still recovering from her brush with the Mythos.

2006-12-16

Petra and Rider take a plane to somewhere that's supposedly safe.

2006-12-17

Pestana Angra, Brazil. Petra starts recovering.

Characters

Part 6

• Cult of Kellith:
  • Leigh Freund
  • High Priestess Alicia Sanders