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Old 12-02-2015, 06:41 PM   #45
tshiggins
 
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Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Denver, Colorado
Default Re: Campaign: Facets

Session 13, played Saturday, started out with some fun and ended with a bang, as the party achieved a long-sought goal.

Characters Present:


Trooper Frank Moses -- A former Marine currently working as a trooper with the Utah Highway Patrol (UHP), based out of the Section 13 office in Moab, under Lt. Lee Exeter. Moses works with 4CSAR as needed, and has an interest in Doc Bascher. -- Played by Mike H.

Dr. Henrietta "Indiana" Johnson -- A personable, age 29-and-holding Anthropologist who specializes in the pre-Columbian indigenous people of the American Desert Southwest. A Native of Apache Junction, AZ, "Indiana" is good with people and has been fascinated by American Indian religion and folklore since she was a child. Henrietta speaks Apache fluently, and not-so-secretly wishes archaeology could be more like Raiders of the Lost Ark and less like digging in a trench with a trowel and a toothbrush -- Played by Debbie S., who couldn't make it this session. The character remained in Colorado Springs, as the session began, and then probably went back to Moab for a bit.

Randy "Random" Shoop -- a twenty-something, semi-pro mountain-bike competitor who has trouble staying focused, but is basically a good and reliable member of the team -- Played by Gold & Appel, Inc.

Dr. Belody "Doc" Bascher -- a local veterinarian for both large and small animals, who frequently fixates on her job and uses 4CSAR as her primary social outlet. -- played by Samantha H.

Dr. Arthur "A.J." Jamison -- a retired NASA scientist with a home in one of Moab's nicer canyon sub-developments, who volunteers for 4CSAR because he needs to do something to get out of the house. Considers himself responsible for Sunmi Jones, who is enough of a science-geek that the two of them can actually hold a conversation. -- Played by Anten S., who also couldn't make it, this session. This character remained in Colorado Springs, making a lot of telephone calls to NASA buddies and playing golf. He'll have returned to Moab in time for the Aug. 25 new moon portal opening.

Sunmi Jones -- A Korean-American prodigy and student of chemistry at Utah Valley University, who spent most of her childhood with her deceased mother's family in Korea, but has come to Utah to attend college and work with her father's petroleum exploration firm. Somewhat moe, awkward-but-cute, glasses-wearing nerd girl, who only volunteers with 4CSAR because volunteer work is required for her degree. -- Played by Rebecca W.

Beatrice "B" Lawrence -- U.S. Army veteran who works for a local air charter service as a helicopter mechanic. A cynic about men, and accompanied by "Grunt," the biggest, best-trained pit-bull anybody has ever seen (purchased as an ally, and a totally badass dog, even before it was possessed by what appears to be a benign spirit) -- played by Bernetta W.

Aurelia R. Lockrin -- A young woman with a shady past who teaches History at Grand County High School (Home of the Red Devils!), and volunteers for 4CSAR because she's a bit of an adrenalin junkie, and likes the companionship. -- played by Bennie Rae P.

NPCs Present

Grunt: Beatrice's ally, a large pit-bull possessed by a protective "foo" spirit.

Hops About: A nunnupi (one of the "Little People" from Comanche folklore) who frequently takes the form of a quadruple-sized magpie. The party has determined that she is a faerie, and as such is mischievous, rather random, inhuman and appallingly dangerous. Likes ants, ham sandwiches and Looney Tunes.

Twirls Thrice: Another nunnupi, and the sister of Hops About. More laconic and observant than her rather hyperactive sister, but at least as dangerous in her own way. Likes ants, ham sandwiches, and particularly Bugs Bunny.

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The session began with a call from Beatrice in Five Points to the rest of the group, about the black gentleman with the spirit inside him, who had just disappeared into The Roxy Theatre, at 25th and Welton.

Somewhat disconcerted by the report, Randy, Frank, Aurelia, Doc Bascher and Sunmi drove down to the Rossonian Hotel and took a look around (Arthur had remained in Colorado Springs to do some golfing and some serious networking with old NASA contacts, and Henrietta decided she needed a break and stayed at the LoneTree Hotel, as well). The group decided to try to gain entry, but were rebuffed by an employee who told them the place wouldn’t open for several hours and told them (in no uncertain terms) to come back, later. Rather than make a scene on the busy street, the group backed away and set up a casual surveillance.

The man emerged a while later, and when his car pulled away from the curb, Frank, Randy, Beatrice and Aurelia decided to tail him. They watched as he spent the next couple of hours visiting another couple of entertainment venues, stopping to chat with people he knew, and generally making his rounds.

Aurelia and Frank did make one interesting observation; at no point did the man stop to chat with anyone who was obviously a gang-banger, even though he drove by several on the way from Five Points to his (apparent) home in Park Hill, just off Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive.

Along the way, the group jotted down the man’s license number, and then did a 411 Reverse Address lookup. Based on that, they learned the man’s name was likely Clarence Dulake. Aurelia called that in to her contact, Wren.

Within 30 seconds, a somewhat exasperated Wren told Aurelia that Dulake worked as a music promoter and had his own Web site.

Sheepishly, the group perused the site and found out that Dulake was apparently from New Orleans and acted as agent for several bands – hip-hop and R&B groups – who played in venues in New Orleans, Austin, Houston, St. Louis, Kansas City and Denver.

By that time, the hour had grown late and the group decided they’d take in the hip-hop show at The Roxy, and bought tickets. At about 9 p.m., Sunmi and Randy went in together (Sunmi changed into club attire), and then Beatrice, Doc Bascher and Aurelia came in a bit later. Much to the consternation of the group, Hops About and Circles Thrice decided they wanted to see the show as well, but the nunnupi agreed to go in invisibly. Once inside, they fluttered to the top shelf of liquor behind the large bar (and probably had the best seats in the house…).

Frank, whose attire and demeanor screamed “Cop!” to anybody who knew what to look for, decided to hang out with Grunt on a bench down the street. Five Points was still jumpin’ on the warm summer night, and they alternated attention between the Roxy, and watching people walk up and down the street.

The roadies on the stage had started a sound-check and about a half-dozen regulars were scattered about the place. They eyed the newcomers curiously but didn’t mess with anybody. Aurelia noted the presence of six sizable bouncers, who seemed pretty relaxed.

Outside, Frank eyed the doormen and decided they probably looked more intimidating than they actually were. However, as the evening wore on, Frank observed with surprise that only a few obvious gangsters tried to gain entry, and the doormen firmly turned them away.

Inside, Aurelia noted the faint smell of old cigarette smoke, despite the fact that Colorado law prohibits the use of tobacco products at indoor venues. Rather more recent was the smell of marijuana and sex from the bathrooms at the back of the hall. Randy, who worked as a bouncer in clubs to make ends meet, quickly evaluated The Roxy as a “locals” venue for second-raters, up-and-comers, or on-the-way-outers, rather than headliners.

To Sunmi’s shock, the nunnupi (rather matter-of-factly) observed that The Roxy seemed to be a place where humans went to meet each other for sex. Hops About and Circles Thrice told the group that the place had a trace magical aura of peace and relaxation, which was probably responsible (at least, in part) for the smells.

The observation proved accurate once the band took the stage – two front-men vocalists, a turntablist, and a keyboardist. The place quickly filled to near the 500-person capacity, and the beat went loud. Aurelia noted that the bouncers remained surprisingly relaxed, despite that, and decided to let herself into the office near the front entrance.

With a quick nod to Randy, who created a diversion by “accidentally” knocking over the drink of the guy next to him (the bouncers materialized quickly, but a fight did not break out and the guy willingly accepted Randy’s offer to buy him a new round), Aurelia quickly picked the office door lock, and went inside.

She found a fairly straightforward closet office, with framed autographed pictures of artists on the wall, and papers in neat piles on the desk. She flipped through them and located the one for Clarence Dulake. He apparently had a group booked at the venue a couple of weeks hence, and from that Aurelia surmised that he’d come into The Roxy, earlier, on business.

Outside, Frank grew increasingly dumbfounded as the evening passed and no fights broke out at The Roxy. Everyone seemed to have a good time without looking for trouble, and two visits by DPD patrol officers seemed utterly routine.

(continued...)
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