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Old 12-05-2015, 05:59 AM   #51
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Default Re: Campaign: Facets

Quote:
Originally Posted by tshiggins View Post
Are you stationed down in C. Springs, or do you live there, permanently?
I'm stationed there. But I'll almost certainly be there until I retire, at this point. That's just a couple of years away, now.

Bummer about your knees, because I highly recommend the area. Of course, I guess you can drive down into Peavine canyon...

Last edited by acrosome; 12-05-2015 at 06:16 AM.
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Old 12-08-2015, 11:49 AM   #52
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Default Re: Campaign: Facets

Quote:
Originally Posted by acrosome View Post
I'm stationed there. But I'll almost certainly be there until I retire, at this point. That's just a couple of years away, now.

Bummer about your knees, because I highly recommend the area. Of course, I guess you can drive down into Peavine canyon...
Yeah, I discovered that, later, on some of the better maps I got, eventually.

It's one reason the group started building steam-engine dune-buggies with really good suspensions.
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Old 12-30-2015, 09:15 PM   #53
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Default Re: Campaign: Facets

We had the latest session of Facets, recently, and it primarily consisted of a huge info dump, and only a bit of adventure. Additionally, we had to hold the session in a different location at the last minute, this time, because of a plumbing disaster in the condominium directly above mine.

Sigh. Home ownership seems highly over-rated, especially in an affordably older building, such as this one. Anyway, my place isn’t fit for company, so Anten and Debbie stepped up and hosted the session, and I appreciated it, tremendously.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The session began with a brief trip into the “Way-Back Machine.” We rolled the calendar back a few days, and picked up with Arthur (A.J.) and Henrietta, who stayed in Colorado Springs to chill out for awhile (also, because Anten and Debbie couldn’t make the previous session…).

A.J. spent a day or so playing golf, and Henrietta touched bases with the UCCS academic community, but they rapidly returned to Moab. Arthur wanted to complete work on some of the sensors he wished to use for the opening of the portal during the new moon, on Aug. 25, 2014. He also contacted some of his NASA colleagues for suggestions and ideas about how best to measure the energy surge that accompanies the portal activation.

They recommended he stick with wholly passive sensors that draw ambient power from the environment, similar to crystal radios, rather than use the sort of powered sensors destroyed last time. A.J. thought that had promise, and headed back to Moab to finish working on the devices.

He also contacted Doc Bascher, as soon as she returned, to secure some animal cages and travel cases, to allow for animal experimentation. As soon as she learned about that, Beatrice (who had also returned – see previous session notes) threw a fit. She said that, given their dangerously negative experiences with animals that pass through the portal, A.J.’s animal experimentation was simply too hazardous and ethically questionable to tolerate.

A.J. eventually allowed himself to (mostly) persuaded, but did slip a bunny in a cage in the back of one of the dune buggies, and covered it over so Beatrice couldn’t see it. He also slipped some powered items into some lead boxes (including his laptop), and some into faraday cages.

A few days (and skill rolls) passed, and the group consisting of Arthur, Henrietta and Beatrice found themselves in two new steam-powered dune-buggies, camped outside the slot canyon that led to the portal entrance. A.J. quickly set up his sensors, and the group turned in for the night.

The next morning, the portal opened on schedule and the group watched as some of A.J.’s sensored shorted out and died, while others took decent readings. Once the group extinguished the fires, and gathered up the surviving censors, they packed their gear aboard the dune-buggies and trailers bumping along behind, stoked the boilers, and carefully made their way through the portal.

Once they reached the box canyon on the other side, the group was surprised to see the sands had been cleared of the bodies and other mess left behind on their previous visit. They also noted that the ledge in front of the old lair of the siants ogres seemed in better repair and, as they watched, they noted movement on the balcony behind the low protective wall.

They approached the lair, weapons at the ready, to see the two Apaches they’d left alive, last time, in the care of Don Reyes. Beatrice noted that the two not only seemed to have recovered fully from their injuries, but moved with graceful ease.

As they got close enough to see their faces clearly beneath the large sombreros they wore, the group noted that the apaches had blood-shot eyes and rather pale skin. Suspecting the worst, Beatrice began to eye the necks of the apaches, and eventually spotted what appeared to be scarred-over bite-marks, and assumed they had been made into vampires.

During the interim, Henrietta greeted the two apaches in their own language, and learned that they’d taken up duties as the guardians of the portal. As such, they said they were permitted to charge a toll to any mages (including the group) that came through – to the tune of one gallon or animal blood, or one pint of human blood, per person, per passage.

Anyone else, they said, they had the right to do with as they would, as it was some sort of “mercy.” A.J. noted that, should a human being come through who didn’t have access to a teacher to help them learn the meditation techniques needed to survive the “faceting” process, he or she would be doomed to madness and a death. As such, a quicker death at the hands of the apaches would likely count as a mercy.

With that, the group left the box canyon and began to explore the immediate vicinity. A.J. wanted to find a good, defensible spot for a base, within a mile of the portal. After searching around, for a bit, they located one and then put in some defenses using leftover toe-poppers Beatrice picked up after the fight against the skinhead motorcycle gang, in Morrison. A.J. also set up some wireless cameras so as to watch the approaches on his laptop monitor.

http://www.wilderness.net/NWPS/enlar...etails?id=4300

The group cached some of their trade-goods (acquired during a trip to the Wal-Mart in Moab) in the ruin’s square kiva, and then settled in for the night. Not long afterwards, a motion-sensor pinged on A.J.’s screen, and he noted that one of the apaches had taken up a station not far away, and settled into a squat with his rifle across his knees.

A.J. watched, for awhile, and noted that the apache had settled in with the still patience of a predator. The group kept an eye on him, periodically, through the night. He didn’t move from his watch-post until the dawn light began to appear in the east, and he smoothly rose to his feet and trotted out of sight.

The group then went hunting and quickly located a heard of ponies. They shot one and loaded it on the trailer behind one dune-buggy, and then took it down to the box canyon.

Once the arrived, the apaches agreed that would serve as adequate toll, and one of them asked if the group had any more of the nice whiskey they’d brought, the last time. Beatrice handed over a bottle and the group chatted with the apaches, for a bit.

Disturbed by the revelation that the apaches had likely been transformed into monsters at the behest of Don Reyes (“I have a use for them…”), Henrietta asked some sharp questions about the well-being of the red-headed Mormon teenager, Jimmy Erland. Don Reyes had promised them the 16-year-old boy would come to no harm.

The apaches replied that, as far as they knew, Jimmy had come to no harm, but refused to discuss any further what had become of him. They also seemed unable or unwilling to discuss whomever or whatever turned them into the creatures they’d become.

However, they did agree to provide a map of the local area, in exchange for more bottles of whiskey, to be provided on the group’s next trip through the portal.

At that point, the group realized they wouldn’t get much more out of them, and headed back to 2014 Utah.

----------------------------------------------------------------

Based on what he learned, A.J. made some insights as to how the portal energies affect other things.

-Brains that range into hundreds of millivolts may get rewired by the portal passage, while those below about 10 millivolts are not affected, at all. The bunny died, and Doc Bascher’s autopsy found serious neural damage.

-Once the power in the affected system (biological or electro-mechanical) gets up to about one full volt, it starts to suffer interference.

-The interference seemed to increase logarithmically as the voltage of the system increases. A system of 10 volts, or so, always shorts out or suffers some other failure, while those of at least 100 volts usually experience dangerous catastrophic events (fires and/or explosions).

------------------------------------------------

With that, the group had the opportunity to get their first looks at the books found in the basement of the Rossonian. JoCat started with the journals of her grandfather, and gained useful information about the nature of the clandestine struggle between mages.

-JoCat discovered that, as of the 1920s, known mage groups, referred to as “lodges,” divided themselves into three factions, divided roughly along philosophical lines.
--The oldest two factions known to Oliver McShane dated back to shortly after the fall of Rome. One, the “Royalist” cadre, focused on the clandestine use of magic to gain power in the material world. The second, the “Spiritualists,” eschewed the material world and focused their attention on the use of magic to understand the human soul.

--The Royalist faction is centered in Europe, and tends to work through old noble families and a few industrialists of sufficiently authoritarian mindset. In the New World, they aligned themselves with dictators, and backed the attempt by the Confederacy to secede from the United States.

--The Spiritualists, mostly headed by the Rosicrucian Order, is devoted to learning the structure of the universe and how it relates to the structure of the human soul. They tend to resist getting pulled into conflicts and material world politics, focusing on something called the “Inner Realms,” and how they can be used to purify the soul.

--The third faction, generally called “The Enlightened,” focus on the use of magic to improve the human condition in such a way as to create a utopia (to be governed by them, for the good of all). They fomented revolutions during the 18th and early 19th Centuries, and generally find themselves diametrically opposed to the Royalists.

(continued...)
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Old 12-30-2015, 09:17 PM   #54
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Default Re: Campaign: Facets

(...continued)

--McShane’s family, and Oliver McShane, himself, is associated with “The Enlightened,” and his home lodge in Chicago was a “child” of the main lodge in Edinburgh, Scotland. That lodge, in turn, is associated with a parent lodge in London, embedded in a private organization – which seems standard for most magical organizations.

--McShane had arrived in Denver as described to JoCat by her mother, to create a magical locus in Civic Center Park. Once successful, a group that called itself the Order of the Scarlet Sage tried to move in and take over the city and gain possession of the newly-created magical locus.

--As far as Oliver McShane could tell, the Order of the Scarlet Sage was based in Texas, and aligned itself with the authoritarian “Royalist” faction. They used the Colorado branch of the Ku Klux Klan for their dirty work, and had established a base in Pueblo, from which they then projected influence to Colorado Springs and Denver.

--To defend his creation, McShane had created a new lodge, which he called the Columbine Order, comprised of members of the leading families of Denver, the Vailes, the Kohns, the Browns and the Russells. However, because they didn’t come from well-established magical families, he felt constrained to limit their knowledge, until such time as they had proven themselves discrete, and committed to the ideals of The Enlightened.

--As such, he sent his four candidates off to France where, with the permission of the local Enlightened faction that controlled it, they had undergone “initiation” by traveling through the European portal, located in the catacombs deep beneath Paris. That portal led to a close parallel world, in which the local year was 1842, as of Oliver McShane’s 1923 (91 years before the present-day of the campaign). However, McShane did NOT reveal the location of the Dark Canyon portal, which he had discovered on a hunting and camping trip, some years before.

--The journals also noted the presence in Denver of a two active communities of what McShane referred to (somewhat dismissively) as magical “primitives.” These people practice “magic,” not by the direct manipulation of decanic energies, but rather by working with – and being worked through by – powerful spirits.

--The two groups of “primitives” were voudou practitioners, located in Five Points, and Santeria workers, located in the Hispanic community in Lincoln Park, along Santa Fe Boulevard. McShane made contact with the leaders of the two communities and created a temporary alliance against the Order of the Scarlet Sage and their racist, anti-Catholic KKK catspaws.

--Upon their return, McShane put his four Novices to work studying magics, and helping him create ties between the Columbine Order and the movers and shakers in the government of the small city. Along the way, the Columbine Order founded the Academy Club so as to conceal its existence while providing a way to interact with the rest of the city.

--That work continued until McShane learned the Order of the Scarlet Sage may have dispatched an elite assassin to Denver, and his journal entries ended shortly thereafter, in 1927.

Once she’d perused her grandfather’s journals, JoCat turned her attention to the other books. She told the group they seemed divided into two sections – the larger collection of books, mostly written in Latin, held a lot of occult background material about the world and the things in it. The smaller collection consisted of spell books, mostly written in classical Greek.

The group expressed some frustration, until JoCat hastily explained she could read and speak both languages, and as such she could translate the needed works until such time as the members of the group could learn them.

At that point, the party described the condition of the apaches, to JoCat, and she looked up information about vampires. Based on the description, she said the apaches seemed to be something called “Blood Slaves” – living things that had drunk vampire blood, but had not yet died. They were fast and strong, with enhanced senses, but lacked the power of those who had made the transition.

However, should blood slaves die (or get killed) by someone who failed to decapitate them, put a stake through their hearts, leave them to lie in the sun, or burn the bodies, they would rise again in three days as full vampires -- at which point they tended to be both hungry, and rather irate at the people who had killed them.

With that, JoCat perused the most basic book of occult lore she could find, and uncovered the secret structure of the universe.

(Basically, this is the view of the universe as found on page 44 of GURPS: Cabal, only JoCat didn’t have time to discover anything about the Sephiroth.)

The revelations included a few key points
-The space-time “foam” that holds the myriad material universes exists as a thin “skin” on the outside of the sphere that holds all the Inner Realms. As such, the Inner Realms are vast beyond comprehension, which is why the Rosicrucians probably focus their efforts on understanding them.

-There exists two ways to access the inner realms. The method most often used consists of astral projection into Yetzirah, the Astral Realm, which connects all the realms. JoCat said she’d planned to teach the members of the party to do that, but understood it to be hazardous due to the presence of parasites, ghosts, hostile spirits and other risks, and wanted to wait until they’d learned enough magic to defend themselves.

-Those who wished to travel to the Inner Realms physically had two options. They could travel through the Veil into Faerie and make deals with any power willing to do so, to secure a guide or passage through Fae.

-Unlike interdimensional portals to other material worlds, which open on nights of the new moon, the gateways through the Veil open on nights of the full moon.

-That means, if a gateway opens on the nights of the new moon, it opens to another material reality in the outer realm, referred to generally as “Assiah,” the Material. If it opens on a full moon, the portal almost always goes through the Veil into Faerie. (These contrast to “spirit gates,” which open to Yetzirah, through which material beings cannot pass, at all.)

-JoCat noted that one such gate apparently opened to Shamballah, or Shangri-La, located on the “border” between Fae and many material universes. The gate opened only during the full moons of summer, she noted, and could only be traversed from the air above the mystical valley.

-Alternatively, they could choose to use a gate into what the books referred to as a “Planetary Realm,” so called because the gates open based on the positions of the planets in the night sky. Gates within those realms open not only to Inner Realms, but also to many other material realms, as well. However, JoCat reported that those realms seemed to have inhabitants a traveler would have to deal with, one way or another.

-According to the reference material, the group learned that the decanic energies became more and more coarse, the deeper into the Inner Realms one traveled. As such, electronics and complex machinery failed to function, in most of them (and the Elemental Planes were inimical to human life, anyway).

-Because the decanic energies in the Inner Realms lacked the fine combination that created such rigid physical laws found in the material realities in Assiah, many of the substances found there functioned as powerful reservoirs of pure decanic power. As such, they acted as super-charged spell components that added significant bonuses to ritual path magics.

-Many of those substances could be found in the lands located in the Pearl Bright ocean, that lay just outside the innermost realms. Accessible by trips through Yetzirah, Faerie and the Planetary Realms, the infinite waters of the Pearl Bright Ocean and the resources found, there, served as a destination for sufficiently powerful mages.

-According to the basic lore, ships of many beings plied the infinite waters of the Pearl Bright Ocean, raiding and trading for the vastly valuable resources and other treasures, found there.

-In addition to the elemental planes, both Yetzirah and the Pearl Bright Ocean provided access to a plane called “Heat,” a demi-elemental realm that combined air and fire. This was the home of the Djinn, the existential enemies of the mages of the material realms. The presence of “Heat,” seemed to indicate that other demi-elemental realms also existed, but no one had provided proof of this theory.

Most of the party found themselves somewhat overawed by the size and complexity of the universe so revealed.

However, upon learning of the Pearl Bright Ocean, Aurelia immediately declared her intention to try to travel there, as soon as she had the skill and power to do so, and take up a career of piracy upon the infinite sea….

---------------------------------------------

Funny Quotes

(Beatrice learns that A.J. plans to take caged animals through the portal, so as to observe the effects of the decanic energies in what he assumes will be a more controlled fashion.)
Beatrice: No!
A.J.: Just little ones?
Beatrice: No!
A.J.: They’re cuuute, and they could be even cuter!
Beatrice: No!

A.J.: How many of those toe-poppers do you have left?
Beatrice: I might have stashed a couple. Maybe… 17?
Henrietta: Could we put garlic in ‘em?
A.J.: Yeah, I could do that.

Beatrice: We’re not fighting vampires!
Henrietta: Hey. It would be nice to know what to avoid, don’tcha think?
Beatrice: Good question. I’ll go with that.
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Old 02-03-2016, 09:39 PM   #55
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Default Re: Campaign: Facets

The most recent session of Facets took place recently, and thanks again to Debbie and Anten for stepping up to host. We spent the first part of the evening integrating a new character into the party, and then the group learned much more about how magic works. Most selected a spell list to study (Healing, although one to avoid damage came in a close second), except for Anten, who decided A.J. would focus on learning Latin.

After all that, we did get a bit of fun roleplaying and also some action. However, I wound up herding cats, a little bit, and as such didn’t manage to log many funny quotes, this time around.

Here we go!

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. This character wholly replaces Deputy Diego Torres, by retcon. -- 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.

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.

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.

James "Jimmy" Erland -- A refugee from the world of Nova España, on the other side of the portal, the 16-year-old find himself in a strange and inexplicable place. -- Played by Ryan.

(Rebecca had a school function, so Sunmi stayed in Moab.)

NPCs Present

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

(The nunnupi stayed in Grand Junction, this time, as I simply had too much to juggle.)

---------------------------------


Randy Shoop, in Grand Junction still recovering from injuries sustained at the hands of glowing green guardian spirits, received a call from an officer with the police department in the small town of Monticello, Utah. The officer told Randy that someone in the town’s small health clinic had claimed Randy was his father and, recognizing Shoop as a member of the Four Corners Search and Rescue team, the officer needed more information.

Still out of it from the injury, and confused by the call, Randy denied he had any children and hung up on the officer. A few minutes later, the frustrated officer called Randy’s phone again and Beatrice answered. She learned that a juvenile boy, approximate age 16, with bright red hair and dressed strangely and armed with old-style firearms, had arrived at the clinic several hours previously, displaying what was initially diagnosed as disorientation from possible heat-stroke.

However, the attending physician had found little evidence of physiological problems, began to suspect the patient had emotional problems, and tried to administer a sedative. The juvenile had reacted with violence, punched the doctor in the stomach, and then took his weapons out of a nearby closet. The situation had become a tense little standoff, although the youth had finally backed down and asked to speak with Randy Shoop, whom he claimed was his father.

Appalled by the story, and suspecting the worst, Beatrice and trooper Frank Moses told the officers the young man sounded like a member of Randy’s extended family who had a history of behavioral problems, and that they’d come down to Monticello from Grand Junction, promptly. The Monticello officer said the situation seemed stable, for now, but asked them to hurry.

Within about two hours, Beatrice and Frank arrived at the clinic in Monticello and entered to find that Jimmy Erland, the read-headed Mormon kid who’d been with the Apaches on the other side of the portal, had followed them through to their own world. Clearly exhausted from his inability to sleep, and suffering from the splitting headache triggered by the initial trip through the portal, Jimmy appeared to be on his last legs.

Frank took the officers and the clinic physician (a generally pleasant but seriously annoyed young man named Rama Mauryan, from India) aside, and repeated the story about Erland’s supposed emotional difficulties. The Utah State Trooper asked Dr. Mauryan if he’d be willing to forego assault charges. The doctor agreed on the contingency that Erland be taken from his clinic, promptly, and Moses said he owed him one.

Meanwhile, Beatrice slipped an enchanted stone to Erland and told him to keep it in contact with his skin at all times (JoCat had decided to create a stone regularly, as a contingency), as it would allow him to sleep. Not fully comprehending but desperately tired, Jimmy took the stone in hand, changed into his dirty old clothes, grabbed his shabby gear and battered weapons, and left with Beatrice and Frank.

As soon as he got in the car, Jimmy conked out and didn’t wake up, again, until the trio reached Grand Junction. Bleary-eyed and stunned by (what was to him) the vast size and bright lights of the town, Jimmy followed them meekly into Café Nepenthe, where the rest of the group was rather less than thrilled to see him.

After some rather insistent prompting, Erland explained that Don Reyes had taken him as a prisoner and treated him decently enough, the previous month, after doing something to stabilize his injuries and those of his two surviving Apache companions, Izzy Norroso and Heck Chalipun. They had remained in the vicinity of the box canyon for nearly a week, cleaning out the cave of the siants ogres and generally sprucing up the area, until they were suddenly joined one evening by a pale, beautiful woman whom Don Reyes had addressed as “Doña Eva.”

Erland explained that Reyes had held a long, private discussion with Doña Eva. Just before dawn, Don Reyes and Doña Eva had reappeared, and she went into the cavern chamber with Izzy and Heck. She reappeared after sunset and told Don Reyes that the two apache raiders should now prove useful, as agreed.

At that point, she approached Jimmy, looked him into the eyes and commanded him to follow her. He found himself willing to do so, and the pair departed for Santa Fe, Jimmy's mind in a fog.

Erland said he’d spent most of the subsequent three weeks as a companion to Doña Eva. She had healed his wounds, treated him decently and taken him into her bed. However, despite the delights, during his few moments of clarity, Erland said he’d slowly come to dread her, as she seemed to be “the devil incarnate”; a being who fed on the blood of others, and whose very presence put his soul in jeopardy of eternal damnation.

Determined to flee, Erland said he’d found an opportunity several days prior, and fled Santa Fe shortly after Doña Eva had retired for the day. He packed up his old clothes and gear, and the fine gentleman’s garb she had tailored for him, and rode his horse to death to get as far from Santa Fe as quickly as possible.

He’d arrived back at the box canyon the day before the portal opened, and found Heck and Izzy inexplicably changed. However, although they now lived with one foot in darkness, they were still Jimmy’s friends and agreed to hide him for a few days, until he could figure out where to flee.

Erland said he’d seen the group emerge from the portal cave and, realizing the portal offered him the best chance for escape, had waited for A.J., Beatrice and Doc Bascher to leave, and then plunged through the portal. Stricken by the inexplicable and unexpected headache, he’d waited for them to return, and then followed their steam-powered dune-buggies down the canyon until they reached the dirt road at the end of the trail.

There, the buggies had accelerated out of sight, and Erland had no idea what to do next. He’d continued walking until he found a camp with some strange, brightly colored tents that reminded him of the gear carried by the party, and made the acquaintance of an elderly gentleman while filling his campaign at the nice pump-well. For some reason, the man thought he should visit a hospital, and took Jimmy to Monticello in his horseless carriage – a novel and rather terrifying experience for the young man.

(continued...)
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Old 02-03-2016, 09:41 PM   #56
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Default Re: Campaign: Facets

(...continued)

Once there, Jimmy had found himself increasingly exhausted and disoriented, and actually tried to sleep, only to awaken screaming from nightmares of burning alive in a white-hot desert. The situation had deteriorated rapidly, from there.

At that point, Beatrice, Aurelia, JoCat and the rest of the group explained to Jimmy that the passage through the portal had altered his brain, and that he would die unless he followed instructions. They told him about the need to learn to meditate, and spend every night in the ritual room at Café Nepenthe until he’d learned enough that the nightmares would stop.

Initially rebellious (to Frank’s frustration), Erland eventually started to listen to JoCat. The elderly woman also explained a few facts about life on this side of the portal – most especially the need to avoid violence, as much as possible, and promptly obey any commands of the police. (“They will shoot you down if you resist them, young man!”)

Once he realized that JoCat (at least) seemed to have his best interests in mind, and that the members of the group genuinely had kept him out of a seriously bad spot (and probably saved his life), Erland calmed down and began to talk.

Jimmy said he’d grown up on his father’s compound in the hills north of La Ciudad del Lago Salado, but had been kicked out when he and his father’s newest, youngest wife had fallen in love. Forced out with little more than the clothes on his back (and an old pistol and some food his mother, an older wife, had slipped to him), Erland had made his way to the town – a dangerous, violent place filled with desperate characters who, like him, had nowhere else to go.

There, as with many other transients and lost souls, Erland said he’d managed to survive on what he made working in the salt pans, plus any scraps and odd jobs he could get. Prospects had gotten pretty dim, but then changed when a small group of Olleros Apaches arrived in the area. Although they still sometimes raided opportunistically, disease and deprivation and reduced the apaches to a shadow of their former selves, and mostly lived a life that suggested particularly poor versions of gypsies.

They took odd jobs when they could, stole when they thought they could get away with it, and generally eked out a meager nomadic existence in the nigh-lawless territories of northern Nova España. Always in need of healthy hands willing to work (and desperate enough not to fret overmuch about the ethical nature of some of the group’s activities…), the Olleros had agreed to take Jimmy in and allow him to earn a place in the tribe. Once he’d done so, Erland explained, he’d receive permission to marry one of the Olleros girls and start a family.

However, that hadn’t worked out, and now the 16-year-old Jimmy found himself in an alien place, with a spurned monster laying in wait for him, in his own world.

With that, Aurelia got to work. She returned to her drafting table in Moab, and contacted her hacker buddy, Wren. Between the two of them, they created fake identity papers for Jimmy, while he remained in Grand Junction and tried to learn more about this strange and frightening world.

The two managed to complete the work in time for Aurelia and the rest of the group to return to Denver, for the Academy Club’s Labor Day Picnic.

The day of the Academy Club Labor Day picnic arrived soon enough, and the group was ready. A.J. wired Aurelia and Frank for sound and video, and Aurelia’s ally, Wren, helped A.J. penetrate the club’s security system. They couldn’t get in any further than that, but it did give A.J. a way to monitor events, real-time.

The club’s director, Dave Sheldon, met Aurelia at the front door after she announced herself to Security as Olivia McShane. She also introduced Frank as her date (on his previous visit, he’d been disguised as an older, disabled veteran bound to a wheelchair…). Shelton escorted them to the patio after he took her membership application, and then vanished for a bit (A.J. monitored Sheldon as the director carried the folder with the application into his office, and then returned without it).

There, they spent awhile mingling with the hoi-polloi, and sized up the situation. Aurelia introduced Frank as someone she’d just met when he helped her out after a purse-snatcher tried to mug her, and the first friend she’d made since she moved to Denver. Frank, mindful of his visit to the DPD and aware of the club’s connection with the local authorities, used his own name and said he’d been thinking of applying for a position with the department and implied he viewed the picnic as a professional networking opportunity.

For his part, Frank found it easy to maintain his cover as a cop drinking beer at a champagne party, invited by someone he’d just met (it was even mostly true). Aurelia had to work harder to maintain her story, and used a version of the facts that had just enough truth to verge on the surreal, as she carefully gauged the reactions of those around her.

Frank’s investigation skills allowed him to spot the clutch of older club members hanging out at the bar, while Aurelia soon zeroed in on the table with the bridge ladies – a group that included Lacey Vaile and Darla St. Cloud. They soon split up and circulated toward their respective target groups, and made their presences known.

The clutch of gentlemen at the bar proved amiable enough and Frank noted no odd reactions to his presence, or that of “Olivia.” The men spoke to him about the city, lauded his efforts to stop the mugging, generally expressed support for his potential career move, suggested some local micro-brews and made sure he had his fill of organic buffalo brats.

Over at the table with the Bridge Ladies, Aurelia discovered the expected mix of 40-something women who looked 10 years younger, wearing “simple” summer frocks that cost at least $500 each (and wearing them well); other ladies of various ages dressed comfortably in $100 sparkly-butt jeans because they felt no need to prove anything to anybody; a smattering of the nouveau riche flaunting their wealth in way only slightly gauche; and a smattering of younger daughters and assorted hangers-on, including successful professional women who also valued networking.

Some of the older ladies asked “Olivia” probing questions about her “family background,” which she fielded deftly enough. However, she had difficulty grasping the nature of the relationship between Lacey Vaile and St. Cloud (failed the roll against her Body Language skill), and decided to engage the latter in conversation.

St. Cloud proved amenable enough and didn’t try to conceal her “chahmin’” Texas drawl. Her comments about her background agreed with what A.J. had already uncovered about her and, after a bit, she invited “Olivia” out to lunch. St. Cloud said she’d recently heard about a new African restaurant located out by Denver International Airport, and wanted to give it a try. Sensing an opportunity, Aurelia willingly agreed, and the ladies set the date for the following Friday.

The rest of the party passed pleasantly enough, and afterward the group checked in at Café Nepenthe to brief JoCat, and to make sure Jimmy Erland hadn’t gotten into any more trouble. They then returned to Moab, to remind their various bosses/customers that they still existed and to generally give some attention to their normal lives.

Thursday afternoon came around and the group convoyed back to Denver, and did a recon of the recently-built strip mall that held the African Grille, near Green Valley Ranch Boulevard and Tower Road. Located less than 10 minutes from the DIA terminal, it was almost completely surrounded by parking lots and open fields, and A.J. noted the location had no visible security cameras, anywhere. He also checked the menu and found it was a buffet place, which meant it might be pretty busy, at lunch time.

That proved to be the case, when Henrietta, Randy and Doc Bascher arrived early for lunch. Henrietta was packing her 9-mil, the Doc had her shotgun zipped into a tote-bag, and Randy (being Randy) brought fists and a fearless attitude to a potential gun-fight. For their parts, A.J. wired everybody and set up a listening post in his SUV parked in the lot, Beatrice and Grunt rode around behind the building and chilled in the loading area, and Frank parked his pickup in one of the fields 100 yards away and set himself up beneath the camper-shell with an assault rifle, in case things went pear-shaped.

Which they promptly did. Darla St. Cloud arrived just past noon, went inside and found Aurelia and the two women exchanged greetings. A.J. listened as Darla nattered on about the buffet, and suddenly heard the Texas woman work smoothly into the conversation some words that sounded like Greek. His alarm grew when he then heard St. Cloud tell Aurelia that they should head over to the airport, promptly, and listened with consternation as Aurelia readily agreed.

A.J. asked, through Aurelia’s earbud, if she thought that was a good idea, and Aurelia replied, “Yes,” out loud. Henrietta, Randy and Doc Bascher, also listening via their earbuds, rose to their feet and began to move toward the pair, just as Darla St. Cloud Aurelia why she’d suddenly said, “Yes.” The Texas woman saw the movement and, despite the crowd, immediately recognized it as a threat, reached into her designer purse, and drew out a very lady-like chrome-plated .22 semi-automatic pistol.

(continued...)
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Old 02-03-2016, 09:43 PM   #57
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Default Re: Campaign: Facets

(...continued)

Before she could threaten or bluster, Randy immediately charged and, aghast, St. Cloud shot at him. She missed him (and everybody else, fortunately), the crowd began to look around in bewilderment, screamed when Randy tackled her, and then hit the floor when the bullet embedded in the back wall suddenly exploded and blew a fist-sized chunk out of the cinder-block.

Randy took St. Cloud down in a flying tackle, barely dodged as she shot at him, twice, only to see both bullets hit the charmed Aurelia, who was trying to pull him off her new friend. The bullets exploded, but Aurelia’s ballistic vest (sans inserts) had kept them from penetrating, so she was reduced to a bloody unconscious heap of broken ribs, instead of to a corpse.

Randy, by that point, had a acquired a rare focus, grabbed St. Cloud by the wrist and held on for dear life, as Doc Bascher came up and tried to shoot her in the face at point-blank range, only to see her shot unaccountably miss and blow a divot out of the floor next to St. Cloud’s head.

Outside, Beatrice forced her way through the back door and sent Grunt in ahead, while outside Frank learned that St. Cloud had brought a backup. As soon as the fight started in the restaurant full of panicking patrons and proprietors, a man in a long coat got out of a car in front of the establishment, while another appeared from around the corner on the left side.

The trooper had a better line of sight to the guy on the left, and fired to suppress as he slid out of the back of the pickup. That guy took cover and returned fire, as the second man reached the door of the restaurant, pulled his own rifle from beneath his coat, and burst in just as Doc Bascher tossed her shotgun down in disgust and Henrietta fell on her ass after she failed to kick St. Cloud in the head.

The Doc realized she was the only one who stood in the way of the gunsel and jumped him just as he came through the door. She grappled him tight, trapping his rifle at an angle between their bodies, and held on with hysterical strength driven by near-panic as he tried vainly to push her away. (Awesome rolls by Samantha in the Contests of Strength!)

At that point, Grunt got in and, with a powerful bite, broke one of St. Cloud’s shins. However, Henrietta, sitting right next to the melee between St. Cloud and Randy, felt a strange tingle and watched as the bite-marks repaired themselves. The same thing happened on a second bite and Henrietta yelled out in alarm.

Randy responded by trying to force the butt of St. Cloud’s pistol down her throat as Grunt bit her again, and between the extreme athlete and the extremely large dog, they finally rendered St. Cloud unconscious.

At that point, Grunt took the veterinarian’s opponent in the ankle and dragged him to the floor, as Doc Bascher started pounding. After that, the dog dashed outside and flushed the first guy. Between Frank, Doc Basher who had grabbed her shotgun again, and everyone else, the guy finally went down.

The alarm began to ring as the group gathered up the automatic weapons, tossed the unconscious and badly wounded Aurelia and St. Cloud in the back of A.J.’s SUV, and peeled out before the cops could arrive, leaving the injured gunmen behind.

-----------------------------


Funny Quotes


Henrietta (listening to the conversation in the Academy Club party): Oh, this is all so hoity-toity!

(Aurelia takes a second magically-exploding .22 bullet to the vest, drops below zero HT, and fails her consciousness check.)
Bennie (OOC): That's the best thing that could've happened, actually...

(Aurelia wakes up from unconsciousness.)
Randy: How're you doing?
Aurelia: The food sucks.
Randy: Yeah. Listen, I'm sorry I didn't catch those bullets. I was just in the moment and focused on-
Aurelia: I know. You're not going to shove anything up my ass, are you?
Randy: Do I seem like the vindictive type to you?
Aurelia: Um. Maybe..?
Randy: I'm not going to say that I didn't think about it...
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Last edited by tshiggins; 02-05-2016 at 10:51 PM. Reason: Added some funny quotes
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Old 03-12-2016, 03:03 PM   #58
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Default Re: Campaign: Facets

Everybody’s lives got pretty busy in the month of February, so we had a long hiatus from the campaign. However, we jumped back into it, again, two weekends ago. The session started in media res, as the group scattered in various vehicles, immediately after the gunfight at the African Grille restaurant.

The group actually accomplished a lot, a things turned pretty dark, but by the end of it they took the bit in their collective and started making some choices.

Also, there was a lot of good role-playing, so the list of funny quote is pretty good this time.

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.

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, with an unexpectedly strong moral character -- 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.

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.

Jimmy Ehrland – A fugitive from the 1918 Colonia de Nova España, on the other side of the portal, he had fled from his vampire mistress, only to find himself in a strange, alien world to which he must struggle to adapt. – Played by new player, Kyle H.

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.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Aurelia “Rel” Lockrin lay unconscious and bleeding in the back of A.J.’s SUV as the retired engineer tried to “drive casual,” now that he’d left the parking lot of the African Grille, just south of Denver International Airport.

It didn’t help that Randy kept shouting, “You’re not gonna die, today!” while Doc Bascher kept trying to get him to shut up so she could concentrate on examining the extent of Aurelia’s injuries.

As an added bonus to the… interesting events of the day, they’d clobbered Aurelia’s erstwhile luncheon companion (felony #1: aggravated assault & battery), carried her unconscious body into the back of A.J.’s SUV, as well (federal felony -- kidnapping); and mummified the lower half of her face with duct tape (a misdemeanor, at the very least…).

A.J. pulled over and slowed, briefly, as a Denver Police Department SUV went screaming past on the other side of the road, with full lights and sirens. He eyed his rear view mirror as the cop hung a sharp left and pulled into the parking lot, rocking dangerously to the right due to the high clearance.

Beatrice called Grunt to jump into the motorcycle sidecar and told him to lay down. They peeled out of the parking lot, in a hurry. She needed to get out of there before anybody saw the giant dog.

Henrietta kept both hands clamped to the steering-wheel of Doc Bascher’s pickup truck, as she headed toward I-70. She scrupulously obeyed all the traffic laws.

Frank Moses swore softly as the DPD patrolman pulled in behind him, strobes flashing, and bleeped his siren. Frank pulled over, put his truck in neutral and, contrary to proper practice, stepped out onto the pavement. The DPD officer bounced out of his SUV right quick, hand on his sidearm ready to draw, and told the Utah state trooper to stop right now.

Frank responded by shaking his raised right hand to draw attention to the badge he held in it, identified himself as a cop to the nervous young officer, and asked if his assistance was required. The DPD officer relaxed, told Frank the situation was volatile enough that it probably wouldn’t be a good idea to bring in an unknown face, and told him to be on his way. (Sweet roll on “Savoir Faire: Police”).

The Utah trooper got back into his truck, watched the wheels of the SUV spray gravel as the DPD officer pulled a U-turn and headed back in the direction of the restaurant, siren wailing.

The three highly-illegal, fully-automatic, recently-fired assault rifles rattled on the bed of the truck as Frank pulled back out on the road. The truck had a shell and they were under a blanket, but he had not wanted the officer to get close.

A DPD helicopter whopped by, overhead, as he drove west on surface streets.

Sunmi Jones left the Motel 6, and listened to the radio news as she headed toward the rendezvous.

Everybody except Frank arrived at the old mine at about the same time, and then chewed their fingernails for 30 minutes, until he arrived. He told them about the stop by the cops and his decision to take an indirect route out. They ragged him for not answering his phone.

Inside the dank old mine, Doc Bascher reported that Aurelia had sustained serious injuries, including several broken ribs, but showed no signs of internal bleeding. She had taped up Rel’s ribs, but said that, under normal circumstances, the wounded woman should be in a hospital. She also said she’d tranked Darla St. Cloud, to keep the dangerous mage unconscious for as long as needed.

Randy, deeply worried, offered to take Aurelia to the hospital, but the rest of the group vetoed the notion. A.J. volunteered to return to Grand Junction and come back with a Jamba Juice healing potions from JoCat. That plan met with approval and he telephoned ahead she could have it ready by the time he arrived.

About two hours later, A.J. pulled up in front of Café Nepenthe, and went inside to find Jimmy Ehrland and JoCat watching television. It displayed an update about the story about the firefight at the restaurant. JoCat said the story had been running off and on, for hours, and asked if the group had anything to do with it.

A.J. hemmed and hawed for a moment, but then admitted it was largely their doing, although they hadn’t started it. He said Aurelia had been injured, but declined to give much in the way of details about Darla St. Cloud. For her part, JoCat decided she really didn’t want to know any more, just then, and handed over the healing potion in the Jamba Juice bottle.

The engineer turned to leave, only to have Jimmy ask to come along. After a moment of hesitation, A.J. agreed. Then, struck by inspiration, he asked JoCat for the truth potion they’d gotten from the bikers, a while back.

The two drove back to the mine and arrived about 8 p.m., to find that Aurelia had awakened and, while still groggy, had enough presence of mind to gripe at Randy.

Doc Bascher made sure Aurelia took the potion without choking, and ‘Rel felt better immediately, but winced in pain when she tried to sit up, too quickly. She immediately asked if St. Cloud was in the room and, when told the group had taken the mage, stated matter-of-factly that she intended to cut out the woman’s tongue.

(continued...)
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"Some days, I just don't know what to think." -Daryl Dixon.

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Old 03-12-2016, 03:08 PM   #59
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Default Re: Campaign: Facets

(...continue)

Not really sure how to take that, the rest of the group let it slide, for the moment, as they tried to figure out what to do. They worried that, without the gag, St. Cloud might be able to trigger a spell that would allow her to harm them (or simply escape). Aurelia noted that if they gave her a pencil, she could communicate without a tongue, only to have Randy point out that torture was never a good idea. After all, he said, it usually meant the subject did everything possible to tell the torturer what he or she wanted to hear, even if that wasn’t exactly so.

The group kicked around ideas, and couldn’t come to a conclusion. A.J. mentioned that he’d brought back the truth potion, but noted that even if it required the taker to speak the truth, they had no idea if it compelled any other sort of compliance, or altered the taker’s attitudes toward his or her captors, at all.

Stymied, the group continued to argue possibilities, until Hops About, the nunnupi, politely interrupted. She said that, between her and Circles Thrice, they could compel St. Cloud to speak the truth and prevent her from using her magics (and, even if the mage managed to get a spell off, it wouldn’t likely stop them from “dealing” with her).

In exchange for that service, they felt it fair that each member of the group would owe them a favor, since their efforts would help everyone.

Beatrice and Sunmi immediately vetoed that idea, loudly and at length. Under no circumstances would they make deals with faeries, they declared, since that apparently never turned out well.

The rest of the group expressed extreme skepticism, as well, except for Doc Bascher, who was willing to entertain the notion and asked for more information about the nature of any possible “favor.”

Hops About replied that they simply wished the group to agree to meet with someone. Moreover, that meeting wouldn’t require any particular effort, on their part, as that individual would put in the effort needed to come to them.

Seriously spooked by that whole concept, the group decided to decline the offer (politely!), and try something else.

Doc Bascher headed over to the chamber where they put St. Cloud and, after some effort, brought her around. The woman took a while to wake up and get her bearings but, once she’d done so, St. Cloud realized she was in a bad spot.

Given Aurelia’s injuries and general hostile attitude, Henrietta and Frank decided to go “bad cop-worse cop” on the mage, and told St. Cloud that if she tried to speak any language other than English, Randy would beat her down again and then they’d turn Aurelia loose on her. St. Cloud nodded her understanding, and they removed the duct tape.

The duo started their interrogation, only to get interrupted by St. Cloud. The mage asked if they planned to let her live, and was told that if she cooperated they’d let her walk away (neglecting to mention they meant that, quite literally, and that the main road was miles away through the mountains).

After some back and forth, St. Cloud learned they had the truth potion, and asked if they’d let her take it. That confused most of the group, but then A.J. pointed out that this helped ensure the mage’s survival. If she could say the group compelled her to take the potion, the engineer explained, then St. Cloud could tell that to her superiors and they’d likely let her live.

With that understanding, Frank and Henrietta told St. Cloud they would ask the questions, twice – once without the potion, and once with it. If the answers she gave matched up, they’d let her go.

The interrogation began and proved fruitful. St. Cloud revealed that her lodge, the Order of the Scarlet Sage, is based in Dallas-Fort Worth, and lies concealed within the apparatus of the Gulf Petroleum Exploration Foundation. She said it has considerable influence in the upper echelons of government and corporate society.

The mage said she reported to someone named William DeWinter, and knows only four other initiates: Alvin Carr, Lucy Delacroix, Shane Halvorsham, and Elaine Perry. Darla said she knows the organization has other initiates, as well as those she referred to as “associates” – creatures and beings who do favors for the lodge, in exchange for cover and protection. The Order also contracts with reliable former military personnel who have compatible worldviews.

The group also uses thugs such as the Angels of Purity for cheap, expendable, deniable muscle. That particular motorcycle club’s presence in Albuquerque marks the furthest north location she knew of, in which the Order had a reliable presence. Colorado had been hostile territory for a very long time.

(When she heard about the structure of the organization, Beatrice said it sounded like the cellular structure adopted by terrorist organizations. Others pointed out that a structure of autonomous cells was useful for any group concerned about operational security.)

The Order of the Scarlet Sage has long had its eye on Denver, Darla said. Magical rituals are difficult, time-consuming and require costly components. Because the sacred architecture used to create Civic Center Park worked so well, magic rituals work much more easily, within a mile of its center. As such, any lodge that controls Denver enjoys a tremendous advantage.

St. Cloud said the Columbine Lodge, the group of mages hidden within the Academy Club, seemed quite weak as far as such things go. However, they’ve managed to retain control of Denver by making unprecedented alliances with the “shaman” groups, in the city – the voudou and Santeria. That combination has kept everyone else out of the city, for nearly a century.

The Order of the Scarlet Sage had sent her to infiltrate the Academy Club and try to learn more about the Columbine Lodge, and provide information that would allow the inner circles of the Order to better evaluate whether or not another takeover attempt could succeed. She used the fascination with Bridge of some of the group’s distaff members as her way to gain access, and she’s slowly worked her way inwards, ever since.

Once Henrietta and Frank completed their interrogation, the group started to discuss the implications.

At that point, Aurelia took advantage of the distraction to walk up behind Darla, take a firm hold, and cut out her tongue with a sharp knife. (“Nobody uses me against my friends. Nobody!”) The captive began to scream in pain, blood pouring down her chin.

Deeply shocked, the rest of the group looked on in horror. Then, Frank drew his pistol and shot Darla in the back of the head.

Frank explained to the appalled group that, as far as he was concerned, Aurelia had decided Darla’s fate the moment she decided to mutilate the captive. The horrific act would almost certainly have made St. Cloud an implacable, relentlessly hostile, enemy – and as a mage, there’s no way the group could afford that. As such,she had to die.

Aghast at the unexpected cruelty and cold-blooded murder, Randy and Sunmi left the mine. The rest of the group expressed deep dismay at the actions, but worked to understand Frank’s decision. They were rather less understanding about Aurelia’s behavior.

For their part, Frank and Aurelia carried the body deeper into the mine, and threw the remains down a deep shaft. With that, the group left the mine for home, with no plans to ever return.

The group arrived back in Moab just before dawn, and most turned in for a much-delayed rest. However, Frank had to go in to work, so he only slept a couple of hours (if that).

As soon as Frank arrived at the Utah Highway Patrol Section 13 office, the desk sergeant said the section commander, Lt. Lee Exeter, wanted to see him. Pronto. The tired trooper walked in, and Exeter told him to shut the door.

Bracing himself, Trooper Moses asked what this was all about. Exeter asked when Frank was last in Denver and (with a good Acting roll, despite the minuses for fatigue), the trooper acknowledged casually that he had been in Denver a couple of times in the past week.

Frowning, Exeter then asked if Frank knew a woman, one “Olivia McShane.” Frank (again with a good Acting roll), replied that he’d never heard of anyone by that name, and again asked for an explanation.

Exeter said that Olivia McShane had been one of two women kidnapped in the previous day’s incident, outside of Denver International Airport. Frank said he’d been on his way to the airport to return to Utah via Salt Lake City when the incident occurred, and had decided to drive back to town, instead.

The lieutenant said he’d been contacted by the Denver Police Department, which had information to the effect that Frank Moses had attended a party with McShane at “some private club,” during Labor Day weekend. Frank said he had gone to such a party, but the woman he’d accompanied hadn’t used that name.

He said he met her when she had her purse snatched, in downtown Denver, and he’d tried to help. In return, she’d invited Frank to go with her to the luncheon, since she said she had recently arrived in town and didn’t know anyone.

At that point, Exeter rubbed his eyes in exasperation and said Frank needed to do two things, immediately, and possibly a third.

(continued...)
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Old 03-12-2016, 03:23 PM   #60
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Default Re: Campaign: Facets

(...continued)

The Order of the Scarlet Sage had sent her to infiltrate the Academy Club and try to learn more about the Columbine Lodge, and provide information that would allow the inner circles of the Order to better evaluate whether or not another takeover attempt could succeed. She used the fascination with Bridge of some of the group’s distaff members as her way to gain access, and she’s slowly worked her way inwards, ever since.

Once Henrietta and Frank completed their interrogation, the group started to discuss the implications.

At that point, Aurelia took advantage of the distraction to walk up behind Darla, take a firm hold, and cut out her tongue with a sharp knife. (“Nobody uses me against my friends. Nobody!”) The captive began to scream in pain, blood pouring down her chin.

Deeply shocked, the rest of the group looked on in horror. Then, Frank drew his pistol and shot Darla in the back of the head.

Frank explained to the appalled group that, as far as he was concerned, Aurelia had decided Darla’s fate the moment she decided to mutilate the captive. The horrific act would almost certainly have made St. Cloud an implacable, relentlessly hostile, enemy – and as a mage, there’s no way the group could afford that. As such,she had to die.

Aghast at the unexpected cruelty and cold-blooded murder, Randy and Sunmi left the mine. The rest of the group expressed deep dismay at the actions, but worked to understand Frank’s decision. They were rather less understanding about Aurelia’s behavior.

For their part, Frank and Aurelia carried the body deeper into the mine, and threw the remains down a deep shaft. With that, the group left the mine for home, with no plans to ever return.

The group arrived back in Moab just before dawn, and most turned in for a much-delayed rest. However, Frank had to go in to work, so he only slept a couple of hours (if that).

As soon as Frank arrived at the Utah Highway Patrol Section 13 office, the desk sergeant said the section commander, Lt. Lee Exeter, wanted to see him. Pronto. The tired trooper walked in, and Exeter told him to shut the door.

Bracing himself, Trooper Moses asked what this was all about. Exeter asked when Frank was last in Denver and (with a good Acting roll, despite the minuses for fatigue), the trooper acknowledged casually that he had been in Denver a couple of times in the past week.

Frowning, Exeter then asked if Frank knew a woman, one “Olivia McShane.” Frank (again with a good Acting roll), replied that he’d never heard of anyone by that name, and again asked for an explanation.

Exeter said that Olivia McShane had been one of two women kidnapped in the previous day’s incident, outside of Denver International Airport. Frank said he’d been on his way to the airport to return to Utah via Salt Lake City when the incident occurred, and had decided to drive back to town, instead.

The lieutenant said he’d been contacted by the Denver Police Department, which had information to the effect that Frank Moses had attended a party with McShane at “some private club,” during Labor Day weekend. Frank said he had gone to such a party, but the woman he’d accompanied hadn’t used that name.

He said he met her when she had her purse snatched, in downtown Denver, and he’d tried to help. In return, she’d invited Frank to go with her to the luncheon, since she said she had recently arrived in town and didn’t know anyone.

At that point, Exeter rubbed his eyes in exasperation and said Frank needed to do two things, immediately, and possibly a third.

Firstly, Frank needed to type up everything he knew about the woman, and the party, and everything else he could think of that might be relevant. Exeter wanted that on his desk, within the next 90 minutes.

Secondly, the trooper needed to drive back to Denver ASAP, in uniform and driving a UHP vehicle, and make a statement to the DPD investigators about everything. Exeter said he expected Frank to cooperate, fully, and the trooper agreed.

Also, Exeter said that Frank needed to seriously consider whether or not he should call a Police Union attorney and, if so, to do it immediately. Since the crimes likely included kidnapping, he explained, the FBI would get involved, and that meant Frank might want to consult legal counsel.

Frank replied he didn’t need to talk to a union attorney, and went off to type up a report that was (mostly) true, but altogether incomplete. After that, the trooper bought himself a huge Starbucks, and drove six hours back to Denver.

Once there, the DPD investigators subjected him to a moderately grueling interrogation, but Frank stuck to the simple story he’d already created (plus, good Acting rolls, despite minuses for fatigue, offset by bonuses because his statement tied in with what he’d said to Det. Lt. Dave Hamilton, on his previous visit. The “blue wall” helped, too.)

At one point, Hamilton joined the interrogation and tried to trip Frank up, a bit. However, no slouch at this sort of thing, himself, the trooper came through it, alright.

Once it was complete, the DPD investigators relaxed a bit, and Hamilton said he wasn’t surprised the woman had given Frank a fake name. They’d run a background check, based on the information contained in the Academy Club membership application, and that had come up completely bogus.

(This was also sheer freakin’ luck. When the group discussed the “Olivia Douglas McShane” fake ID, they listed the false documents they wanted Aurelia’s ally to create.

I rolled for each of those documents, separately, based on the skills of Wren, Aurelia’s ally. The roll for the birth certificate came up a critical failure, which meant Wren didn’t know she’d screwed up, which meant she assured Aurelia that she’d done everything, correctly. It also meant the problem would become glaringly obvious to anyone who made even a cursory examination, and that meant the entire fake ID would fall through and leave Aurelia swingin’ in the breeze.

However, because she wasn’t in the inner circle, Darla didn’t know about the fake ID -- and nobody else had run the checks yet, either. She invited “Olivia” out to lunch, because Darla wanted to get the potential “McShane heir” away from the Academy Club. The Angels had already failed to do that rather spectacularly, so the infiltrator felt compelled to take direct action.

When Mike, Frank’s player, pulled that bulls*** story out of nowhere, on the fly, I had to give the interrogators minuses to their skills. By sheer, dumb luck, it matched up what they’d already discovered, and it stood to reason that if “Olivia McShane” had used one fake name, she very well may have used a second false identity, with Frank.)

By the time Frank left DPD HQ, just two blocks away from Civic Center Park, he felt exhausted. He called Exeter and let the lieutenant know that everything seemed to have gone well enough, but that he would stay the night and drive back to Moab, the next day.

The next 10 days, or so, everything settled down, although Randy stayed in Grand Junction to talk to JoCat about his distress over events in the mine. Sunmi went back to work at her father’s firm, and stayed away from everybody.

However, about then, a couple of Grand Junction police officers stopped by the Café Nepenthe, where they found Jimmy Ehrland cleaning up the place. They asked to speak to JoBeth Catherine McShane, but Jimmy had never heard her called that, so he just gave them a blank look. He told them to check with Krystal, at the register, and she called out JoCat.

The officers asked JoCat if she had a relative by the name of “Olivia McShane,” or knew someone who might have used it to make inquiries about family? JoCat replied that she had no such relatives, and had heard nothing from anyone using such a name. After a bit more back-and-forth, the Grand Junction officers left.

A couple of days after that, Jimmy was walking around the neighborhood, trying to get used to what was, to him, a vast metropolis filled with incomprehensible things, when he slowly began to fill uneasy. While a stranger to the 21st Century United States, his experiences in his world’s town of Lago de Sal (a hive of scum and villainy…) meant he knew how to spot dangerous people.

He spotted one within a couple of blocks of Café Nepenthe, and over the course of the next couple of days, he spotted another.

Jimmy told JoCat, and then she called the group. Beatrice and Aurelia came up, straight away, and took a walk with Jimmy. Between the three of them, they spotted another two “hard guys” trying (reasonably successfully) to blend in with the population. Based on her military background, Beatrice (who had left Grunt at home), surmised that these were either current or former special operators, and very bad news.

The trio pretended to take a “selfie” with Beatrice’s cell phone camera (not trying too hard to conceal their actions from the observers), and got back to the café in time to meet with the rest of the group.

Based on their report, the party decided they needed to play a shell-game with the vehicles to get the magical library moved to a safer location, since Café Nepenthe had been discovered by somebody. However, the presence of the observers meant the world had started to close in, and that meant they must make some tough decisions about how to proceed.

(continued...)
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MXLP:9 [JD=1, DK=1, DM-M=1, M(FAW)=1, SS=2, Nym=1 (nose coffee), sj=1 (nose cocoa), Maz=1]
"Some days, I just don't know what to think." -Daryl Dixon.
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