The carnal god

In fog‑shrouded London, a solitary figure drifts through deserted streets, his face twisted into a mask of flesh that drives anyone who sees it into horror. Pierre Soret cloaks himself in a black opera cape, moving like a specter to avoid the lingering gaze of passersby, his every step haunted by a centuries‑old curse that left him an outcast. Beneath the dim glow of gas‑lit lanterns he stalks toward a mansion of Egyptian design, its windows flickering like distant tombs.

The Countess Donella Moonard’s grand house pulses with exotic decadence, and a night‑time gathering promises revelry amid an oppressive incense‑filled air. When Pierre finally reaches the threshold, a frightened girl’s eyes meet his, and a small, diamond‑studded pendant around her throat hints at a deadly legacy tied to the Countess. The encounter sets the stage for a chilling quest that will pit Pierre against a golden idol radiating an otherworldly fire, and forces him to confront the darkness that has shaped his existence.