| #1MadStepDadSep 19, 2009 21:43:49 | Winter. Early 1994. A barren, desolate wasteland in upper New York State. Even with miles and miles of crisp, clean white snow blanketing the horizon - the sense of loneliness is pervasive. A bitter East Coast wind whistles through the huge stone fortress once used by the WATCHERS at the GATE. Now the once active fortress is as deserted as its surroundings. In front of the huge double doors of the fortress - three figures stand.
Steam rises from their sweating bodies into the chilly air, but they stand in transfixed silence. Around them chaos begins to unfold. At first slowly - a few police sirens in the distance - but it quickly picks up with the arrival of more and more squad cars, plain clothes detectives and ambulances. Lots of ambulances. AGENT RAMOS, LENIENCE ELDERWOOD and RUDOLPH VAN RICHTEN watch the aftermath of the assault and silently thank God they managed to escape the destruction.
BROTHER PELOV - the last remaining Watcher, saved by the three heroes - is carted away into an ambulance where he will be transported to the local hospital. After answering all questions and enquiries from the reporting officers, the three intrepid PC's took a few moments to collect their thoughts. What was most odd to the reporting officers was the fact that the corpses strewn about the facility had been dead for some while... yet the shot gun wounds they suffered were fresh. The three PCs had no answers for that (of course they're not going to tell the cops they were battling zombies and ghouls! Christ, they don't even believe it themselves...)
The three PCs decided to follow BROTHER PELOV to the hospital, hoping to gain more answers. They stayed with him for a night while he was stabilized, and he filled in the blanks about MASTER BRALKAIN as much as he could. MASTER BRALKAIN was a name VAN RICHTEN had remembered as (allegedly) one of the oldest vampires in the known world, so he plumed BROTHER PELOV for what he knew of him. Once it was decided BROTHER PELOV would receive the medical attention he needed, the three PCs began their day-long trip back to NYC. They had much to discuss.
We bridged the gap in between sessions by recalling the previous events, interacting with the wounded BROTHER PELOV, and then settling in with the long car ride. VAN RICHTEN regaled them with another story from his archives about MASTER BRALKAIN and why that name is so important in Shadow Hunter circles (Stalin, Azal'Lan, Russian KGB???) AGENT RAMOS had the others pore through some of the manuals they had liberated from the burning WATCHERS stronghold. They did learn that BROTHER RUDEN (deceased leader of the WATCHERS, who's body the players discovered alongside the critically wounded BROTHER PELOV) had a son, sent away on a mission at his fathers behest only days before MASTER BRALKAIN and his gang murdered them all. They debated on whether or not to notify the next of kin of his fathers demise.
Now as GM I'm steam rolling towards one thing - November 30th, 1994. So everything I'm doing is building towards that one event. By the time the PCs actually get back to NYC had alot of work to do. AGENT RAMOS must check in, file paperwork and while he's at it I throw a bunch of angles at him. His partner (still officially "suspended" from the PSI) reported a break-in at his residence, in which all of his research regarding the Psi-tracking devices was stolen or destroyed. He was growing justifiably paranoid and urgently wanted to speak with AGENT RAMOS. Meanwhile, word in the office is that one of AGENT RAMOS' suspects in the Pin-Head murders (in which victims seemingly had their brains boiled or vaporized through pin size holes in the head) was brought in on unrelated matters, and released before he could be properly questioned. Suspect goes by the name "NIGEL" though AGENT RAMOS has heard him referred to as HAITIAN JACK before. Not so suprisingly, it was those old brow beaters OFFICER SMITH and OFFICER WHITE who wound up releasing him. Rumors are getting thicker that the PSI unit may be shut down and dismantled entirely.
Meanwhile, LENIENCE ELDERWOOD retired to his modest motel accomodations while continuing to question the validity of these so-called "psychic tracking devices". One of the books he took from the stronghold was a complex mathematical dissertation and compositional breakdown of the universe written by a reclusive underground author named OLYESSO VON BRIDEN. LENIENCE wondered if mechanically, there could be a way to harnass and track this source. Analog equipment could certainly carry an imprint, but he wondered about this still vastly untapped potential of "digital" technology.
All at the same time, I had VAN RICHTEN head off to meet with his Fraternity of Fractured Thought brethren in the city. Along the way, he did encounter OMA GOJANOVIC once more (see EPISODE #2 - THROUGH DARKENED EYES) who told him somebody named BOOKER has been calling around looking for LOMAR (the corrupt Darkling fiend slain by the PCs). OMA GOJANOVIC told VAN RICHTEN that his BOOKER guy has ties to the Black Mafia, the group allegedly responsible for LOMAR's deadly addiction. She gave VAN RICHTEN Booker's pager number. He immediately brought this information to his Fraternity cohorts (all much, much younger, hipper and yet respectfully differential) who rely on his saavy tactics and life long experience. Everybody is chasing the Blood Martyr, all from a different angle (like the kid with the NIRVANA "Nevermind" poster on his wall) and all agree a sacrifice is about to be made. VAN RICHTEN confers with some of the elder members regarding MASTER BRALKAIN, before learning of a big breakthrough - members of the elusive "Temple of Hip Hop" reached out to the Fraternity to offer aid in locating and neutralizing the alleged "Blood Martyr".
THE NEXT DAY...
The PCs reunited once more in the diner across town. They shared all new and pertinent information, including a very potent story from VAN RICHTEN about early Temple of Hip Hop founders, Geronimo Pratt and his god son - Tupac Shakur. Something big is going down... so big that these isolationists in the feared and misunderstood "temple" would offer some information in exchange for aid from the Fraternity of Fractured Thought and allies. The only contact information VAN RICHTEN had - and showed to the PCs - was a business card for a book store in Brooklyn. The first thing the PCs did was to try to find AGENT RAMOS' partner.
They ran by his old apartment address to find it still boarded up and destroyed from the recent robbery. So they head to the motel he was known to be staying at, only to find he had checked out night before. A few more questions led them to learn he was accompanied by three or four well-dressed Black gentlemen on his way out. Finally they went back to the apartment once more. This time, thye broke through the boarding and entered the ravaged abode. They took a quick search check and found all of his valuables were removed, and his home office scattered. But they did find the exact same business card (for the book store in Brooklyn) that VAN RICHTEN carried. Apparently, AGENT RAMOS' now-missing partner was in contact witht the "temple" as well...
They quickly weighed their options before deciding to use the empty apartment as a pseudo-home base, and paged the man called "BOOKER" from the landline phone. After 45 minutes (and three pages), BOOKER never called. But the PCs were all the more paranoid wondering if this "temple" connection was in fact a deadly set-up. LENIENCE ELDERWOOD is not a shooter, and the idea of having to carry concealed weapons to a meeting absolutely repulsed him. Even after letting the semi fly in previous adventures since discovering the Shadow, LENIENCE never found it any easier to pull a gun. Instead, my mind spray. The players were ready to accept the invitation and made plans to hit the book store in Brooklyn, the one listed on the business card in VAN RICHTENS hand - and AGENT RAMOS' missing-partners apartment.
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| #2MadStepDadSep 19, 2009 21:44:50 | SEPTEMBER 13th, 2009
(Real Time - 13th Anniversary of 2PAC's demise)
Then they got the call.
Reread that sentence and take it two ways. 1) In game, the two PCs and one NPC (Dr. Van Richten) were on the way to the bookstore when the station buzzed AGENT RAMOS and told him to report to duty immediately. The call to action.
2) Out-of-game I called in reinforcements. The BIG guns. I drafted MARGUERITA DEVILLE back to the table (after languishing in G'Henna Prison off the coast of San Francisco for months). I added ALEXUS DARKAGNON back into the mix and welcomed back the player of TENROU LEE who was out of action in AZ for over a year! I hollered - told them of the spiritual significance of this day - the importance of the mission ahead of them - and they answered the call. The call to action. So 6 people are stationed around the game table for today's epic level conquest.
Game play begins with a battle of miniatures. The call from the station that AGENT RAMOS received was regarding an illegal jam at a nearby projects playground. So as the three of them rolled up to the set, I had it all mapped out for them.
At first - considering this would be my first real attempt at miniatures battle using d20 Modern rules - I wanted to do it up big. Full landscape, ill props, little HOMIE ® brand miniatures to represent the characters... but then I decided to flip the script and go in the complete opposite direction. To quote BIGGIE SMALLS, I took it back to the gutter for you mutha*****s.
So I made a crudely drawn grid out of 4 pieces of graph paper taped together. I used shoeboxes and boxes of pasta to represent the project buildings. I used my sons little Matchbox toys for the vehicles. I used pennies for the cannon fodder (like all the 0-level people at the park jam just waiting to get hit with stray bullets), nickels for the mid-level goons the PCs would be battling, dimes for the PCs themselves - and a quarter for the MAIN bad guy. Just so he could stand out more. All in all, it was about as hood as you can get.
At first - with the play set just sitting there on the table as they sat down - my players didn't know WHAT the heck I was doing. But once I explained the semantics of the battle set up and what I was trying to accomplish, they immediately took to it like gangbusters. D20 Modern miniatures battle - straight hood - MSD style. Let's roll.
The three characters (AGENT RAMOS, LENIENCE ELDERWOOD and RUDOLPH VAN RICHTEN) pulled up to the crowded park, nestled thickly in between project buildings. The music was already bumping so loud, that the siren from AGENT RAMOS' squad car couldn't even be heard. The area was pitch black, like a constant "Darkness" spell had been cast upon it. In order to power the supersonic stereo speakers, electricity must be siphoned from the surrounding light poles. Hence the utter darkness, and unequivocal illegality of the entire gathering (they're stealing power from the city).
This is the part of the module where the PCs first encounter the bad guys beating down ANNITELLA. So as they make their way into the project courtyard, it is filled to capacity with locals. Most congregate around the homemade sound system at the far end... but some are gathering around the fight scene that necessitated AGENT RAMOS' call. There, they spot 5 goons (all timberland up with Carhart hoodies) stomping a mudhole into the poor unfortunate soul who just happened to be caught in the middle. Around them - a well dressed Black gentleman with long dreads, sunglasses (even at night) and a slick pimp cane directed traffic. I set the scene, gestured to my ghetto miniatures map and let the dice fall where they may.
Combat ensues.
AGENT RAMOS cannot make the arrest. As soon as the badge comes out, bullets start flying. Dudes are firing with automatic weapons not giving a firetruck WHO they hit. In the end, four bystanders are wounded (one critically), three of the five goons are slain, two are wounded (and subsequently cuffed and arrested by AGENT RAMOS) but the main bad guy (the dreadlocked, suit-and-tie guy with the sunglasses and cane - and the one represented on the board by the quarter) escaped into a waiting car. But AGENT RAMOS caught the license plate number as it drove off.
Following typical Investigator protocol, AGENT RAMOS had three options at the conclusion of this encounter.
1) Question witnesses. Who was the dreadlocked man with sunglasses and the cane?
2) Officially file his report of the incident at the station.
3) Accompany the wounded person the gang was beating down (it turned out to be a woman) to the hospital and hopefully question here more.
AGENT RAMOS chose Option #3, so the three of them followed the ambulance to the hospital where the victim was checked in. She was horribly wounded, looked like a long-term crack abuser (but with a slightly purplish hint to her lips and mouth) and was now in a coma due to the brutal beatdown. She was not going to awaken anytime soon, according to the doctors.
The three of them (AGENT RAMOS, LENIENCE and VAN RICHTEN) were just discussing their next move... when two large black men sauntered into the hospital room. There was a VERY awkward moment as the two opposing sides sized each other up. Were they here to finish the job, the players wondered? The two black men who entered were no doubt thinking "whoa..... cops."
After a few minutes of interplay, it was revealed that these men (called "the PALE SWORDSMAN" and "BIG AL") were actually members of the elusive Temple of Hip Hop! The same guys listed on the business card for the bookstore that the players were scheduled to meet up with! What a coincidence! The PALE SWORDSMAN in particular was like "YOU'RE Van Richten??? GNASLAROM said you were old, but I didn't know you were THAT old!" Turns out these guys (and the Temple of Hip Hop) were actually allies of the woman who now lay comatose in the hospital bed. Things started to make sense.
As they explained to the players, this woman in the bed (named ANNITELLA) is actually a very close associate to one of their own boys - a Temple of Hip Hop warrior called LORD DRASSAK. She and LORD DRASSAK are the reason the Temple of Hip Hop even reached out to the Fraternity of Fractured Thought (secret cabal that VAN RICHTEN aids with his research) and requested their help.
It's all about the ORDER of GUARDIANS. As RAVENLOFT fans know, there are multiple sects of this great organization - each one dedicated to one particular artifact. The PCs were well-versed in the now extinct OoG branch called the WATCHERS at the GATE (all of them brutally slain during the events of EPISODE #3 - THE HEART'S FINAL BEAT). Well, the Temple of Hip Hop is another off-shoot of the famed Order of Guardians... (what they're actually protecting is still unknown).
But what IS known, is that LORD DRASSAK (senior member of the Temple of Hip Hop) was commissioned by ANOTHER faction of the Order of Guardians called the "Brotherhood of Contemplative Power". These guys are actually mentioned in the THOUGHTS of DARKNESS module. A traitor within their ranks stole the item they were guarding, and smuggled it to (they strongly suspect) NYC. So they reached out to LORD DRASSAK to seek his aid in its recovery. He brought along his sidekick ANNITELLA, the beautiful, raven-haired, slick-talking vixen... who looks NOTHING like her prior self now as she lays comatose in the hospital with hoses, tubes and machines hooked up to her.
This was weeks ago, and LORD DRASSAK and ANNITELLA had not been heard from since. The last thing the Temple of Hip Hop heard from him (confirms the PALE SWORDSMAN as he relays this tale to the players) was that they were "facing a threat that is thoroughly inhuman, and beyond the scope of mortal comprehension..." Whatever THAT means.
He and ANNITELLA vanished shortly thereafter, not to be heard from again. Until today. Word reached the Temple that ANNITELLA had shown up in the projects being beaten by an unknown gang and they rushed to her side as soon as they could. So here they are, bedside with ANNITELLA, discussing the situation with her rescuers, the players. Where were they? What happened? Where's LORD DRASSAK? Only ANNITELLA could answer those questions, and she's in no shape for talking now.
So the PALE SWORDSMAN excused himself, and introduced his buddy to the other players as being the one who stay overnight by her bedside until she can be safely moved to another location.
Introducing NEW Player Character ALPHONSO RIDENHOUR aka "Big Al". A massively muscled, brick wall of a man who is strong, silent and the size of a barn silo. In real life, it's my Q-MONSTAH's little cousin Damien. He has NO experience with the game, and Q-MONSTAH himself suggested we just make him the powerhouse of the team and to not expect tremendous displays of roleplaying from him. So for the most part, he will play the cut and add the necessary muscle to the team.
So PALE SWORDSMAN exits, leaving BIG AL behind with the AGENT RAMOS, LENIENCE and VAN RICHTEN. Shortly after he left, the bedside hospital phone rang. Lenience answered. Somebody making muffled death threats promising to "finish the job". Nice...
CUT! |
| #3MadStepDadSep 19, 2009 21:53:11 | MARGUERITA DEVILLE is running. Running down a hallway, clad in her orange prison jumpsuit, broken handcuffs dangling. She has the stolen talisman in her hand, trying to escape. But not so fast... standing at the end of the hallway to meet her - ATTORNEY REGA, with a dozen armed CO's ready to bring her down forever. Just then... JOHNNY ACID steps into view! He stands in front of ATTORNEY REGA, and withdraws a gun before aiming squarely at the oncoming MARGUERITA DEVILLE! Betrayal!
The shot goes off, catching MARGUERITA in the shoulder with the force of a cannon - driving her backwards out through the glass window, where she tumbles stories and stories downwards to the rocky waters crashing with waves. Her mind races. Black-and-white pictures of her father... the flute he left her... the tiny jail cell she called home for months... blood... betrayal. Just as her body was about to hit the sharp jagged peaks, SHE AWOKE!
Startled, she awakens on an airplane. The kind elderly lady next to her asks if she's all right. MARGUERITA takes a few seconds to answer. She surveys her surroundings. She did escape. She stole the talisman and took the airplane tickets from ATTORNEY REGA after he tried to betray her. The massive earthquake of January 17th 1994 saved her life. Karma? Dark Powers? Whatever it was, that massive 6.7 Richter Scale assault happened in just the nick of time, allowing MARGUERITA to escape with her life, her flute the talisman and the plane tickets.
Speaking of coincidences, who just happens to be on the same flight? Why, none other than ALEXUS DARKAGNON and TENROU LEE! Coming from New Orleans, they happened to hop on the same flight after a brief layover in Tennessee. They witness the young woman awaken with a scream... and as ALEXUS looks closely, he recognizes MARGUERITA! He hasn't seen her in months, ever since he sent her and the others from Brockton to Los Angeles to handle the threat of undead gangbangers (see EPISODE #1 - KNIGHT of the MENTALLY DEAD). So of course, he approaches her, strikes up a conversation and introduces TENROU LEE. Role-playing goodiness abounds as the PCs compare notes on their futures and destinations... but both sides remain very quiet about their past.
(MARGUERITA is a wanted fugitive, and EPISODE #4 - THE EVIL EYE, in which Alexus and Tenrou both play a role, has not concluded yet on the PbP tip over at the WWuDC clubhouse).
After landing in NYC, they are greeted by RAZOR RYZING, a Japanese man affiliated with the Temple of Hip Hop and one of young TENROU LEE's sponsors and training partners. RAZOR RYZING awaits the players by a gleaming 1994 Nissan 300ZX, yet his face is somber. He greets the players, and is formally introduced to ALEXUS and MARGUERITA. Then, he bows before TENROU LEE and says "I'm sorry to be the one to break this to you. But your father is dead..."
CUT!
Back at the hospital room, VAN RICHTEN is going over ORDER of the GUARDIANS lore once more for the players sake (just to make sure everybody is on the same page, and understands the concept of these famed RAVENLOFT cabals).
Once again - the WATCHERS at the GATE were an OoG branch (destroyed when the artifact they were holding was destroyed as well). See EPISODE #3 - THE HEART's FINAL BEAT.
The TEMPLE of HIP HOP is an OoG branch guarding some still-unknown artifact.
Finally, the "Brotherhood of Contemplative Power" is another canon OoG sect mentioned in the THOUGHTS of DARKNESS module. It was the Brotherhood of Contemplative Power who reached out to LORD DRASSAK (member of the Temple of Hip Hop) to recover their artifact, stolen by a traitor within the Brotherhood and smuggled to NYC. Who? Why? When? Still unknowns.
All they know is that LORD DRASSAK told his people in the Temple of Hip Hop to prepare for a war of epic, unearthly proportions. So the Temple of Hip Hop had to reach beyond it's tightly-knit inner family to pull Intel from other sources - namely the Fraternity of Fractured Thought, who VAN RICHTEN also provides Monster Hunting advice and tutorials. So THAT'S why the Temple of Hip Hop reached out to the Fraternity of Fractured Thought to ask for their help. They want some advice from VAN RICHTEN on the nature of the threat they face. Unfortunately, only LORD DRASSAK and ANNITELLA know that information - and one's missing while the other is in a coma. So there's still a lot of unanswered questions. VAN RICHTEN goes over this with AGENT RAMOS and LENIENCE while BIG AL stands ominously in the corner.
As night is turning into early morning, AGENT RAMOS is going to the station to file that official paperwork once and for all before calling it a night. VAN RICHTEN and LENIENCE stay behind to watch over their prime source of information along with BIG AL. But before AGENT RAMOS can leave, the PALE SWORDSMAN returns with another Brooklyn hardrock. Like the others, he is an intimidating sight. The PALE SWORDSMAN can barely introduce the man as "THE DARK KNIGHT" when he has beelined over to LENIENCE - the tall, gangly white boy in the corner - and attempts to snatch the necklace from around his neck!
A brief altercation arises as LENIENCE resists the attempt, and AGENT RAMOS steps in the middle with his badge. VAN RICHTEN and PALE SWORDSMAN play the peace sign, while BIG AL just keeps watching on. "Forgive his brashness..." PALE SWORDSMAN says of the DARK KNIGHT. "But I told you I recognized those linx..." he says, nodding toward LENIENCE's chain. DARK KNIGHT says "let me see it" and LENIENCE wisely complies. He untucks the necklace he acquired way back before EPISODE #1. The necklace with the symbol of Hyksosa's 13 rhymes.
THE DARK KNIGHT's aggressive stance softens as his eyes fall upon it. "You ain't kidding, God" he says in stunned agreeance with PALE SWORDSMAN. Immediately he stiffens and intensely questions LENIENCE. "Where did you get it?" he demands. LENIENCE explains he got from a street side vendor in Boston and the PALE SWORDSMAN and DARK KNIGHT nod in synchronization. Turns out, the Temple of Hip Hop (apparently the DARK KNIGHT in particular) are well versed on this necklace... or "these amulets" as the DARK KNIGHT says.
BEHIND THE GM SCREEN
This is the part of the story that diverts slightly from written texts, namely the THOUGHTS of DARKNESS script I'm following for this Episode. I'm still trying to add my OWN imprint to the RAVENLOFT/MASQUE of the RED DEATH/Urban Arcana thing I got going on here. That whole "Chasing ELYSIAN FIELDS thing". The Pure's, the Blood Martyrs and such. This part of the segment details just a touch of that.
In particular, the three amulets the GOD BRAIN gifted his HIGH MASTER with in order to seek out a FOCUS CHILD. They are tracking and homing devices that allow the GOD BRAIN (and his MASTER) to monitor their movements and activities from afar. So here I'm going to try to impart some of this information to the players.
So the DARK KNIGHT tells them that LENIENCE holds one of (they think) 3 total amulets. They originated in NYC as far as they know (wrong), and are some kind of mobile tracking devices (correct). Turns out, about 6 months ago (right before EPISODE #1 even began) one of their boys from the Temple of Hip Hop, LORD DRASSAK again, had gone through an entire adventure with those things. Supreme Team gangsters, crack house shoot-outs and everything.
He even managed to steal one of those amulets and have it smuggled east toward Boston where some of their University connects presumably would have been able to identify it. However, it was lost or stolen in transit and never made it to Boston. Or so they thought. But here we come full circle. ANNITELLA is rescued by the man who unwittingly wears the same Amulet she thought her and LORD DRASSAK had saved. Coincidence again? This gives AGENT RAMOS, LENIENCE and BIG AL something to chew on, as we...
CUT!
Shining in the candy-apple red 1994 Nissan 300ZX (it's a 2door so it's cramped, but they weren't expecting company. "Come Clean" by JERU the DAMAJA knockin through the system. In the car, an anonymous driver plays chauffeur to the backpack-and-hoodied-up RAZOR RYZING. Himself of Asian descent, much like his passenger TENROU LEE. Along with them ride ALEXUS DARKAGNON and MARGUERITA DEVILLE. The neon lights of Times Square glow with life and energy. New York fn City, dawg!!!
As GM, I basically used this scene to break down the same information to a new cast of characters. RAZOR RYZING told TENROU LEE that his father... (wait for it)... BROTHER RUDEN is dead. Finally the connection I was subtly drawing is out in the open. TENROU's father was one of the bodies the other PCs found during EPISODE #3. His father knew their appt with the Whistling Fiend was coming, so he sent his only son TENROU LEE away from there. Down to New Orleans where EPISODE #4 - The Evil Eye is currently unfolding on PbP at the WWuDC clubhouse. There are few survivors left from the WATCHERS at the GATE, and they have become Lost Ones.
But, there was a Special Agent involved in the investigation that may have more information. His name is AGENT RAMOS and he operates here out of NYC. This is ONE of the reasons RAZOR RYZING and the Temple asked for TENROU LEE to return to NYC (along with ALEXUS who now owes the Temple a favor). The OTHER reason, of course, is the mysterious disappearance of Temple member LORD DRASSAK (and his sidekick ANNITELLA). So I then take time to once explain to a new set of characters, the connection between the Temple - Lord Drassak (with Annitella) - and the Brotherhood of Contemplative Power. Only THIS time, as I got to the part about the Brotherhood traitor who stole the artifact, I told them who the traitor actually was... DOMINGO DOS SANTOS*.
* Looooong time readers may recall this name from our previous RAVENLOFT Black Box adventures. Even if you don't, the players (in this case new school TENROU LEE and ALEXUS DARKAGNON 2009) immediately did. And they oohd and ahhd appropriately like you would at a fireworks display. In short, he was a staunch, devoted and dedicated ally to the heroes. Never once did he waver from the side of good. So SOMETHING happened or SOMEBODY got to him... ill enough to make him forsake everything he ever stood for.
So yeah. Bright lights, big city. As the PCs digest this information they roll to stop at a light on a deserted East NY street corner... just then... pause... Spot checks... Listen checks... and... POP!
Gunshot goes off, the driver's brain matter splatters. Suddenly, a swarm of hoodied-up goons are upon them, glowering outside the Nissans tinted windows. The PCs didn't even see it coming but they fell for the oldest trick on the book. Now they got run up on, guns in their face, dead driver slouched over the middle console, and a bunch of crazy red-eyed mutha*****s yelling "Run yo s***!!!! Run yo s***!!!"
Basically, I rearranged the Popsicle sticks on my little handrawn battle map and set up the other cast of PCs for own their own combat scenario. Suffice to say, combat ensues.
Lots of stuff happening, including MARGUERITA kick in the teeth out of one of the goons who broke in the back window, RAZOR RYZING catching a slug in the leg, TENROU LEE grappling with a goon in the gutter and ALEXUS jerking the bullet riddled Nissan up and over two of them before crashing into a utility pole. In the end, as one cowered at the combined feet of MARGUERITA, ALEXUS and TENROU he submitted and offered the PCs anything they wanted. In a way, this is the MSD Mash-Up version of the SLINKER encounter, as written in the module for PCs who did NOT rescue Annitella. Of course it's perverted heavily.
For one thing, all of the attacking goons were clearly intoxicated. Their eyes were bloodshot, their cheeks sunken in and all of them had a purplish-tinge to their lips. They looked like next-level crack heads. The one they captured was called SLINKER (again, check the module). SLINKER gave them the name "BONESPUR"... as in "Bonespur is the guy who put us up to this" [setting up, robbing and shooting the car the PCs are in]. "He's the guy we get the moon rocks (???) from. He said look for the bright red Nissan 300ZX, inside is the guys who beat up our friend ANNITELLA". Pause. This guy knows ANNITELLA? The once proud Temple of Hip Hop associate who is now a worthless crack head in a coma at the hospital? This BONESPUR character told SLINKER and his crack-head friends to attack the Nissan carrying the PCs because THEY are the ones who nearly beat Annitella to death? SLINKER didn't know where Bonespur was, but gave them the address of a project building he goes to buy these special "moon rocks".
Cops coming, the PCs got back in the tattered vehicle, peeled off the utility pole, and sped away - bumper dragging. A few blocks from the hospital they ditched the car and gingerly walked in RAZOR RYZING, suffering from a bullet wound to his left thigh that is more annoying than anything else. Fortunately, RAZOR RYZING has his health insurance in check as well as a legal firearm permit. So when he tells the doc it was a self-inflicted accidental wound, they don't question it much. Meanwhile, after RAZOR RYZING is checked in, he tells the players (TENROU, ALEXUS and MARGUERITA) to go see Annitella and find out more information about LORD DRASSAK's whereabouts.
So the three PCs get the room # for Annitella, and broadly enter the room to find... the other three PCs there as well. The pieces were all starting to fall together. Coincidence?
AGENT RAMOS was in upstate NY when TENROU's father died. AGENT RAMOS was with LENIENCE, who knows ALEXUS who knows MARGUERITA and VAN RICHTEN knows them all. So suffice to say, I gave the entire floor to the players. More roleplaying goodness arises. Just to throw a bone, the PCs have the TV news on in the hospital room and get an update on the "prison riot" story out of Southern California. It's now been elevated to "prisoner escape" and they release a picture of the convict... MARGUERITA DEVILLE.
So now MARGUERITA had much to discuss after the more experienced players dominated the earlier exchange. Particularly to the long-arm of the law itself, AGENT RAMOS. This also gave a great opportunity for MARGUERITA to recap the events of her own solo adventure, for those who didn't read about it yet (EPISODE #6 - CIRCLE of DARKNESS part 1). Everything was awesome, especially ALEXUS the 5th lvl Charismatic Hero's little "this case calls for you to put your badge away" monologue to AGENT RAMOS. All uniformly agreed that the key to the mystery that drew them all here resides within ANNITELLA. The PCs put their stories together, and the most they had to go on was the name "Bonespur" and an address SLINKER gave them where they can score some "moon rocks". I throw them another bone. AGENT RAMOS gets a call in from the station. Some perp gets locked on an unrelated charge, but offers to flip on AGENT RAMOS' park shooters for a lighter deal. They're finally going to find out who the dread locked man with the cane was at the park beating down Annitella (even though they already have a pretty good idea - this "Bonespur" character).
Sure enough, after bringing in VAN RICHTEN and ALEXUS (who smooth-talked his way in) as witnesses he questions the kid and gets all the facts.
* The well-dressed man with the dreadlocks, sunglasses and walking cane is indeed BONESPUR. He's about 6'4" with a black fu manchu mustache. He got a scar over his left eye. He came from New Mexico, the snitch last heard.
* BONESPUR works street-level to distribute "moon rocks" - next level crack. VAN RICHTEN procures the bag of purplish-tinged crack rocks they confiscated from the goons they shot it out with at the park earlier, and the snitch confirms that yes, those are moon rocks. AGENT RAMOS immediately sent the bag they confiscated earlier down to the lab for analysis.
* No amount of knowledge checks from any of the players could recognize the BONESPUR name, so AGENT RAMOS wanted more names. Snitch said Bonespur works with NUBBS and TUT out of East NY. Finally, names AGENT RAMOS could latch on to.
* Following typical investigator protocol, once a witness has been questioned you use your available Intel to sort out any connections. The snitch mentioned "NUBBS and TUT out of East NY" so AGENT RAMOS spoke with a homicide detective from East NY named DETECTIVE DERRICK PARKER.
www.amazon.com/Notorious-C-O-P-In....p/d...
Detective Parker gave him the whole sordid run down on Nubbs, Tut and thier East NY crack-churning army called the Supreme Team. The first guys to bring automatic military weaponry into their street conflicts. AGENT RAMOS recalled the name "Supreme Team" from his earlier discussions with the DARK KNIGHT about the amulet Lord Drassak stole (and Lenience now wears). This Bonespur guy though, is not on the books. But with AGENT RAMOS seeing him, the police composite artist was able to get a good sketch.
* Finally, they got an address. Same one ALEXUS and the others shook out of SLINKER. A project building where most of the moon rocks are said to originate from. It didn't take AGENT RAMOS long to pull together a reconnaissance team consisting of himself, ALEXUS, TENROU and BIG AL to run surveillance on the address they got from their snitches. They touched base with the others in the hospital room, and left Van Richten, Lenience and Marguerita to watch over Annitella.
Meanwhile, something beneath the city is bubbling in anticipation... |
| #4MadStepDadSep 19, 2009 21:58:36 | Sky view panorama. Undisclosed housing projects, East NYC. Straight hood. Boxes and boxes of sagging buildings forcibly stuck together at the corners, offering a jagged prison of claustrophobia. The street bisecting the two identical sets of 6 story buildings is oddly quiet, despite the plethora of used beaters and junker cars parked along it.
It is down that road, the PCs cruise. In AGENT RAMOS's unmarked car sit ALEXUS DARKAGNON, TENROU LEE and the mysterious BIG AL. They are looking for the address given to them earlier by SLINKER and the Parkside shooter snitch. The address where alleged "moon rock" activity is said to transpire. They need to know who was behind the attack on Annitella... and the attack on their own convoy that resulted in RAZOR RYZING taking a stray to the thigh. Who is this Bonespur and where did he come from? NYPD records don't cover him, but he has said to be affiliated with some really big underworld heavy hitters.
Just a few dead trees dot the grassy courtyards of the projects, with inky deep shadows far beyond the reach of streetlights. The actual street address brings them to a small basement level brownstone submerged in cigarette butts and candy wrappers. As they roll to a stop and cut the headlights... a shadowy figure can be spotted perched on the tiny landing heading down to the apartment door. It's 4:00 am. The area is desolate.
But as the PCs observe the figure seated on the landing, something is dreadfully amiss. He doesn't acknowledge their arrival, or even glance over as the headlights pull up. The players shift uneasily and eye each other for reactions. Finally, after a minute or two of idling, AGENT RAMOS turns off the engine and exits the vehicle. The others closely follow.
Upon closer inspection, the figure isn't moving. They have an empty 40oz bottle of St. Ides in a brown paper bag on their lap. AGENT RAMOS calls out to him, and demands he identify himself. No response. The PCs get closer. Drunk? Passed out? Worse? ALEXUS leans in to poke him, and the figure's head shifts lifelessly to its chest. There, in the direct center of his forehead - a near bloodless pin-sized hole. The pin hole murders AGENT RAMOS has been chasing since his characters inception!
Immediately their guns are drawn, nerves at an all-time high. They peer down into the inky abyss of the stairwell leading to the apartment door. BIG AL spots a syringe on the ground. AGENT RAMOS takes out the flashlight, badge, and knocks on the door announcing "police!" The others wait breathlessly behind him; hand on their firearm handle (with the exception of TENROU LEE whose fists are already weapons). No answer. The players look at each other again, before BIG AL wordlessly steps forward and KICKS the door in. AGENT RAMOS is in aiming his flashlight and pistol, the others close behind.
Tension mounts. It's a ragged, small cluttered apartment with trash everywhere. Dark, the electricity is off. It's a living room area, with a couch swallowed by old clothes and a small table nearly overrun with drug paraphernalia (like pipes, mirrors and cigarette rollers). In the dead silence, a disturbance in the far room draws their attention. All the while as I'm describing the slow creeping dread that's overcoming them, I'm rearranging the Popsicle sticks on my hand drawn grid. Players know this means an attack is eminent...
As they slowly make their way to the back room (a bedroom in this two room abode), they are greeted by a confusing sight. Like people writhing around in sleeping bags? AGENT RAMOS shines the flashlight into the room... and catches the face of a mutated alien-like creature feasting on the skull of its human victim!!!
When the light flashes upon it, it lets out a hideous screech and its red eyes dilate. Like a scene out of the worst ALIENS or PREDATOR movie ever made. Immediately FEAR checks are rolled as FOUR of these creatures are prowling around in the bedroom area like giant, man-like slugs! Veins criss-cross their oily skin and pulsate with unwholesome ichor. In real life, this is the scene of the VAMPIRIC ILLITHID AMBUSH (as written in the module)!!!
combat ensues
Bottom-line, the PCs are severely overmatched. The creatures are fast, unnatural and totally insane. Even the hollow-tip bullets from BIG AL's special-ops exclusive handgun do little except tear off huge chunks of icky flesh and piss off the creatures even more. These things are KILLER! They appear to have busted through the toilet in the apartment, but the PCs can't be sure because they didn't have time to run a full investigation! They're getting their butts whooped! Ultimately, they were forced to flee after being thoroughly manhandled by these carnivorous, vicious creatures. Alexus and Tenrou fled through the back bedroom window into the project courtyard, where it felt like every project window was an eyeball watching them. As AGENT RAMOS and BIG AL fled through the front out to their vehicle, lights were starting to come on in apartments around them in, in response to the sudden fire fight. They peeled the car around to pick up a limping Alexus and wounded Tenrou and fled the scene without calling for back-up. They desperately needed to regroup, and had to tell the others of their gross discovery. Things just got worse.
Way worse.
Then, ANNITELLA woke up... |