[Game Thread] Session 4: The Underground

[Wynamoinen]

At the edge of a precipice Eventually, Andre's pack gathers. It's an odd place to muster one's strength; a seemingly-abandoned house, on a side street at the far edge of the District. This is not a place of power, this is not a grand edifice. It is a place chosen to be anonyous and transitory. As Andre and Anne waited, a few people passed through the house, either coming in the front door, or rising up from below. It was easy enough to remain unseen; the actual house was treated as a second thought by the passers-by. It serves as a transit hub, not a waystation. The yard and the second floor are safe places to skulk in the shadows, watching. Once Andre's allies had arrived, they faced a choice of how to proceed. Andre shows them their approach. Take the house's stairs to the musty basement, and find in one corner a metal trap door, clearly newer than the house itself. A metal service ladder goes straight down into a tunnel. From its design, it's clear that it was built as some kind of service tunnel for the Metro. If the group waits and cautiously watches, they will see inhabitants pass beneath them. A few are armed, clearly some sort of security. But more common are unremarkable people who seem to be simply coming and going as part of their normal business. By and large they look unremarkable. But as folk of the shadows, most of the pack in the basement above recognize their own kind below. The pack knows the outline of the task. The Missionary, Vasili, has done something to Andre's mother. He needs to be found, and Anne has an idea where that might be. Andre's nose agrees. But the question is: how to do it?

OODM Here we go! A year into the game (thanks, all, for being part of this game and making it a durable experience!) and we're finally all in one place at one time with one purpose. This post is a little light because y'all should have space to interact, and I think that you need a 'plan' of one sort or another - are you going in hard, are you sneaking, will you just be approaching the first person you see and having a chat? That first person could be below ground, or if you wait, another person coming or going through the house.

[Elanir]

The Spectre Anne Charlotte Beall, the Spectre The Spectre watched the people who had gathered, answering the Wolf’s call. A motley group, she decided. A sorry group, she added, sorrier still for including her. The underground tunnels were like any other part of the city for Anne. Darkness was no less or more comfortable than sunlight to one who didn’t rely on physical eyes to see and guards and weapons could neither harm nor stop her, unless she chose to step out of the ether. Vasili too could not evade her, not when no wall or locked door was able to keep him safe or hidden. "I will move on ahead", she offered, her voice a disembodied thing causing teeth to clench and hairs to rise. "I will keep you informed and warn you of danger." It was the sensible thing to do, though Anne wasn’t sure about the capability for rationality of the members of the Wolf’s pack. They were as likely to try to sneak into the underground complex as they were to force their way forward. So she waited, as she had done ever since reaching this seemingly abandoned house. She had offered Andre her assistance - in exchange for a promise, a promise she would make sure would be kept. She would do as told. For now.

 

No moves. Anne offers to act as the party’s ‘scout’.

 

The Spectre Anne Charlotte Beall (born Varney), The Spectre Advancement Advancements Mortality [X] Night [ ] Power [X] Wild [X] Vintage, confused, changing (elegant or neglected), nostalgic, tortured, mercurial Basics Hold 1 Ongoing 0 Stats Blood Heart Mind Spirit 2 0 -1 2 Factions Mortality Night Power Wild 0 1 0 1 Harm Armor=0 Faint [X] ________________ Grievous [ ] [ ] ________________ Critical [ ] [ ] ________________ Scars [ ] -1 BloodShattered [ ] -1 HeartDisfigured [ ] -1 MindFractured [ ] -1 SpiritBroken Moves Corruption [X] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] Corruption Moves text- text- text- text- Drama Moves Corruption Move: When you witness a scene of victimization and do nothing, mark corruption. Intimacy Move: When you share a moment of intimacy -physical or emotional- with another person, you hold 1. Whenever they get into trouble, you can spend your hold to be there. Archetype Moves Manifest: Regular people can’t sense or interact with you unless you manifest. You manifest by spending a few quiet moments concentrating and choosing 2: • You can be heard • You can be seen • You can touch and be touched by the physical world You may mark corruption to instead choose 1 or all 3. Won’t Be Ignored: When you get in the way of someone, treat your roll as a 10+ without rolling. If you distract an NPC, roll with Spirit instead of Mind. ”Wall? What Wall?”: You always have an opening to escape a situation. You can choose an additional option off the list to bring someone with you. On a miss, you attract the attention of dangerous spirits and ghosts in the area. Gear Gear Handkerchief Locket with portraits of her children Bottle of laudanum Wedding ring Diary   Weapon (specs): Letter opener (pocket knife) Debts Debts: Anne owes Farhad 2 debt(s) for reclaiming (= stealing) from him her “serpent’s eye” wedding ring Cole owes Anne 1 debt(s) for being the (distant) descendant of her killer, Thomas Beall Anne owes Brassavola 2 debt(s) for protecting Annie Hayes Anne owes Celia Hershfeld-Reyes 1 debt(s) for the newspaper journalist investigating what happened to Thomas Beall after leaving George Town Celia Hershfeld-Reyes owes Anne 1 debt(s) for for helping her with investigating the supernatural origin of some of the City’s corruption Andre owes Anne 1 debt(s) for for helping him locate Vasili and the Missionaries

[hafrogman]

Cole Schneider, the Veteran Ducky Draws Art The phone on his workbench buzzed and Cole glanced down at the notification. Andre. Cole had been dodging messages and people, ever since the scene at the Coliseum. He'd gone there with plans... intentions. But things had rapidly gotten out of hand... and he'd bailed. Again. He'd made the mistake of acting like he was still in the game, getting involved in things he had no business getting involved in. Justice was back in town, and Cole needed to lay low. And so he had. But despite all that, the tailor's hand picked up the phone and clicked on the message. Muscle memory? Morbid curiosity? Who could tell? But now it was too late. The deed was done. I'm on the trail of the man who poisoned my mum. He's down in the tunnels under the city. He has a whole gang down here. I need your help. Please come now. Cole stared at the words for a moment, unblinking. "Crap." He was too old for this. He put the phone down and tried to pick up the literal and metaphorical thread of what he had been working on. Then he put down the cloth and picked up the phone again, staring at the message still open on the screen. Then he turned of the screen and put the phone in his pocket, siting motionless at the bench for a moment longer. Then he pull out the phone again. On my way. Quickly stowing his half-finished project, he went out the door. Thirty second later he came back in, and went rummaging under the makeshift countertop of the store. From a small, wooden box he pulled a small, metal gun. He'd never had cause to use it. Nobody bothered to rob tailors. But it got tucked into the back of his pants, and he left once more. Cole walked into the house with a sense of trepidation. He had no idea what he was doing here. But he listened as Andre laid out what they knew. The tailor watched the wolf with one eye and glanced around the room with the other. There was a strange sense of "it's a small world" pervading the motley assortment of allies that had been assembled. "What exactly are we planning to do if we actually catch this guy?"

 

Moves and Rolls @Wynamoinen I feel like going into tunnels filled with "a whole gang" of people with the intention of hunting down the Missionary might qualify as triggering Cole's When you knowingly head straight into danger, mark corruption.Veteran Corruption Move. Or perhaps it has to be a more immediate danger. Let me know what you think.

 

Sheet Cole Schneider, the Veteran Caucasian male, tailored clothing. Professional. STATS Blood -1 Heart 1 Mind 1 Spirit 1 FACTIONS Mortality 1 [ ] Night 0 [X] Power 0 [X] Wild 1 [ ] HARM [ ] Faint [ ] [ ] Grievous [ ] [ ] Critical ARMOR 0 ... ... ... SCARS [ ] -1 BloodShattered [ ] -1 HeartDisfigured [ ] -1 MindFractured [ ] -1 SpiritBroken GEAR Apartment Car (Nice) Smartphone 2-harm close loud9mm Beretta ... ... ... ... MOVES When you first encounter an NPC, you may declare them an old friend instead of Putting a Face to a Name and roll with Mind. On a hit, they offer you comfort and aid, even if it exposes them to danger or retribution. On a 7-9, tell the MC why you owe them a Debt. On a miss, tell the MC why they want you dead.Old Friends, Old Favors When you create something for someone using your Workspace, mark their Faction.True Artist When you get caught up in a fight you tried to prevent, you get armor+1 and take +1 ongoing to seeing yourself and others to safety.Too Old for This S--t! ... ... ... CORRUPTION MOVES Corruption [X][ ][ ][ ][ ] ... ... DRAMA MOVES When you knowingly head straight into danger, mark corruption.Veteran Corruption Move When you share a moment of intimacy—physical or emotional—with another person, tell them a story about the past and the lessons you learned. Choose 1: You both take +1 forward You take +1 forward and they take -1 forward Hold 1. Spend the hold to Lend a Hand to that character from any distance Intimacy Move When you die or retire your character, choose a character to inherit your Workspace and True Artist.End Move WORKSPACE A Library of Old Books A Mystical Focus Magical Wards   DEBTS ... owes me 2 debts for relying on my training or knowledge Andre owes me 1 debt for One custom-built werewolf wrestling costume that can survive his transformation.a big project that's nearly ready Victor owes me 1 debt for Cole thinks he's teaching Victor how to survive the shadows, but his training is less than effective.protection? I owe Cassandra 1 debt for emergency tailoring supplies

[jbear]

Andre, the Wolf Andre's patience has dwindled to the thinnest of threads while waiting for his allies to gather. He feels the violence of the Wolf scratching at him from beneath the skin. The beast is not happy with its muzzling. It is difficult to speak without growling. Binding words into coherent thoughts without snapping requires a monumental effort. "Answers. I need to know what he injected mum with. An antidote if possible. And the Why. Why are these people coming after me. After mum. I will need help to not tear out his throat before he talks. I don't want innocent blood on my hands finding him either. This ..." Andre lifts his furry hands. Dagger-sharp claws slide out to glint in the light. "It's hard to control." The claws retract. He hides his face in the shadows of his hood buries his hands in the front pocket of his tattered hoodie. "I'm hoping you guys can help get through the tunnels without leaving a trail of corpses, help me talk sense into this guy, Vasili. Shake the information out of him without blood and guts." The last words emerge as a snarl. The Wolf hates everything Andre is saying. He bites down on his own tongue hard. Warm, salty blood fills his mouth. Enter the tunnel and follow the scent. Slay any and everything that stands in the path of your hunt. When you reach the mark, tear off an ear first. Then ask your question while you eat it in front of him. He will talk. If he doesn't, he has another ear. And many fingers. Many toes. His manhood. He will talk. The young man silences the violent thoughts of the Wolf that churn his stomach. He focuses on listening to the wisdom of those who have gathered to assist him and will follow along with any semblance of a plan to the best of his ability. When Anne's disembodied voice offers to scout, Andre nods and mutters, "Thank you." He follows along with the others, doing his best to not look like a werewolf. He will search for Vasili's scent once more and use it to guide them through any decisions that need to be made as to which direction to take once the singular tunnel begins to branch out and became a rabbit warren.   I think, now that Andre is no longer confounded by the Metro station, he could pick up Vasili's scent trail again and use it to guide us to his location. I am assuming I need to roll 'Let it Out' again though, as the roll failed last time. Right? Result: 8 Marking 1 corruption   Andre Adams, The Wolf Hold 0 Ongoing 0 Stats Blood Heart Mind Spirit 2 -1 0 1 Factions Mortality Night Power Wild 1 1 -1 1 Corruption [X] [X] [X] [X] [ ] Corruption Moves text- text- text- text- Harm Armor=0 Faint [ ] ________________ Grievous [ ] [ ] ________________ Critical [ ] [ ] ________________ Scars [ ] -1 BloodShattered [ ] -1 HeartDisfigured [ ] -1 MindFractured [ ] -1 SpiritBroken Drama/intimacy Moves By default, you change into your wolf form when the full moon rises; you can resist the change, but it’s not easy; and you can only change back at sunriseTransformation: You gain natural weaponry (2-harm) and 1-armor Option 1: You transform every night, not just during the full moon Option 2: You are all but immune to magical attacks while transformed Option 3: The transformation takes a while and causes you a lot of pain Option 4: When you transform, you keep your cool or declare a hunt You’ve claimed an area of the city as your own. By default, your territory covers a city block or two and has the trouble.Territory: Anacosta: +crime +Influence: Your territory spans several city blocks +support: You are accepted as this place's protector +encroachment: Someone more powerful wants your territory and is working to get it +haunted: Your territory is plagued by a mystical or supernatural presence Archetype Moves {}: {}: Advancements Mortality [ ] Night [ ] Power [+1] Wild [-1] ... Gear Duffel bag with personal belongings Sh!tty cellphone Butterfly Knife (2-harm hand concealable)   9mm Beretta (2-harm close loud) Debts: Anne owes me 1 debt for acting as a Guardian for Annie Victor owes me 1 debt for protecting him from the neighborhood gangs I owe Farhad 2 debt for hiding me from something powerful (Hamsa Amulet); stopping me from killing the Buzzard I owe Brassalova 2 debts for for messing up a job she hired me for Other:

[wodine]

Do Dragons Burrow Hmm. Farhad stood, a disapproving scowl on his face, and a disdainful clicking on his tongue. What a ruinous place. Devoid of… anything, really. An in-between. Farhad’s gaze loomed, scanning the long distance down the dank pipeway. When we find him, we will learn things, no doubt. Striding past the others, Farhad began making his way. Click. Click. Click. The cane was muffled against the concrete, though the echo still carried. Uncaring about the announcement of his arrival he slowly made his way. Come on then, send the specter ahead, we gain nothing by waiting here, I suspect Vasili, the name was send with considerable vitriol, will not come to us.

OoC No moves, just pressing forward.

[Roekahs]

Victor Young Victor finds his way to the address provided by Andre, despite some growing unease. At first, Victor had thought he had mixed up streets in his mind's eye of the city, but the location is just as nothing as he had expected – and just as far out of Andre's territory as well. There is a moment of hesitation where a question gnaws at his slowly fraying nerves: how much do I trust Andre? The whole thing stinks of a setup – walk in the door, down the hall, step in the room, -bang! bang!-, two to the head. Quick and dirty, outside Andre's territory to remove that connection. Disposable and disposed. The second and third appraisals of the building do nothing to assuage the little voice – screaming at this point – to run. He had managed to square things with the old man just the night before, or at least the impression had been things were square. Perhaps the old crone hadn't accepted the redirection of blame? The bigger concern, Victor admits begrudgingly, is that he hadn't even picked up on the problem with the old crone until Farhad had brought it to him … so how many other grudges are out there lingering in the shadows of his past misdeeds? And which one lured him here? Except why had Andre told him to bring a gun? The one thought bolsters Victor's nerves just enough. Maybe it is just that he gets a chance to duel to the death, but at least that is something. Victor checks the chamber to be sure he is ready for anything, then carefully tucks the gun into his front jean pocket for the quickest access. Safety off. At least the house isn't completely abandoned, though the locals wouldn't be the best witnesses. It takes a minute, but Victor finally finds his way to a group huddled in the shadows who pull him over. The relief that washes over Victor when it becomes obvious that the house isn't his courtroom and the ambush is fully imagined is visible, though without context it would be difficult to attribute to anything specific. Victor listens quietly. At one point he pulls the gun from his pocket and flicks the safety back on. No reason to shoot himself in his own leg. He holds the heavy metal for a bit longer. He has used the gun before. He has even done some nasty things with it on the street, but always in self defense. This, today, brings him back to the cop training, to walking toward dangerous people with a serious intention to do something about it. A job at which he had failed. At least at some parts of it. He had always been good with a gun and good at reading situations. If he can't be a cop for the city, does his path lie in being a vigilante cop for the shadows? Victor can't decide if that is a reassuring thought, or a troubling one. Either way nothing is getting solved standing around, so he is relieved when Farhad leads the charge. Victor quickly hurries to Anne's side. "Look, Farhad and me got some ideas on your other problem. Nothing, like, ready to roll yet but I been busy. Just, uh, thought you should know." It feels weird still. The spirit has been a real thorn for a while, but there was something about seeing the desperation in the young girl's eyes that had stuck with Victor. "Anyway, Andre got anything gets close to us, but I got the range. You gonna have to let me know if I need to lay down some heat; some kinda signal. Don't need to go shooting our way through, but if trouble gets after you, I won't hesitate." OOC Snoop roll: 8; holding 1   Victor Young, The Aware Hold 1 Ongoing 0 Stats Blood Heart Mind Spirit -1 1 2 0 Factions Mortality Night Power Wild 1 1 1 -1 Corruption [ X ] [ X ] [ X ] [ X ] [ ] Corruption Moves text- text- text- text- Harm Armor=0 Faint [ ] ________________ Grievous [ ] [ ] ________________ Critical [ ] [ ] ________________ Scars [ ] -1 BloodShattered [ ] -1 HeartDisfigured [ ] -1 MindFractured [ ] -1 SpiritBroken Drama Moves Corruption Move: When you ignore your mortal responsibilities to deal with the supernatural, mark corruption. Intimacy Move: When you share a moment of intimacy with someone who is not mortal, mark corruption. Archetype Moves Snoop: What's my best way in/out? Who are what here is not what they seem? What happened here recently? What here is the greatest danger to me? Whose turf is this? When you keep an eye out for trouble, roll with Mind. On a 10+, hold 3. On a 7-9, hold 1. While you're there, spend your hold to ask the MC questions 1 for 1. On a miss, you're in over your head. The MC will tell you why this is a bad spot. Expert Marksman: When you unleash with a firearm, roll with Mind instead of Blood. I Know A Guy: When you Hit the Streets or Put a Face to a Name with Mortality, roll with Mind instead of Faction. Advancements Mortality [X] Night [X] Power [ ] Wild [X] ... Gear Simple Apartment smart phone decent car {etc} 9mm Beretta (2-harm close loud) Debts: {Name} owes me {#} debt(s) for {what I did} Cole owes me 1 debt(s) for protecting him Brassa owes me 2 debt(s) for not telling secrets Victor owes Cole 1 debt(s) for protecting him Victor owes Andre 1 debt(s) for protecting him Victor owes Anne 1 debt(s) for helping him Victor owes Brassa 1 debt(s) for saving him a beating Other:

[Wynamoinen]

Along the tunnels The group gathers. The group uncomfortably waits. The group goes down the steel ladder, into the tunnels. In all the waiting and walking, there is lots of time to consider the motley group. Washington DC can feel like the largest small town in the country. None of you are total strangers to the others. The oddity is that you all happen to be here, in this place, together, on a common mission to delve down into this unknown world that has been 20 feet below you all along. Does the presence of one of the members of Andre's 'pack' make you uncomfortable? Irritated? Relieved? Secure? Wary? The group has been stitched together quickly, with frayed and stretching seams. Can it hold together long? Underground, Anne moves quickly along as an advance scout. Victor stays with the main body of the party, but is particularly attentive to the dangers that might wait. For a long walk, there is little sign of life besides themselves. The trains do not run regularly this late, but at one point one can be heard in the far echoing distance, perhaps staging for the morning to come, perhaps undergoing some maintenance. On Anne's earlier trip through the tunnels, they were fairly bustling. This time for whatever reason they are less populated. Twice, she sees a group gathered in a spur tunnel. One of the groups walks casually away. The other gathers around a blaring television. Neither group appears to offer any threat. A few minutes behind her, the pack never sees the first group of pedestrians, but they do see the group of TV-watchers. That group looks up from their screen as one and watches the pack walk past. But it makes no sudden movements and takes no action that appears hostile. Eventually, the first real danger appears before Anne. A group of 4 people appear, walking towards her with determination. Two dress as Missionaries, and two others dress in second-hand street clothes. One of the casually-dressed people openly carries an assault rifle slung over his shoulder. It is not clear if the other three are armed. What is clear is that these are not mundane citizens of the city. They are all denizens of the Shadows. Anne quickly turns to warn her group. Flitting through the aether, Anne notices movement in a few doorways that open onto the tunnel that the group is traveling along. Casual talk within suggests that they are living quarters of some kind. At the pace the patrol and the pack currently move towards each other, they will meet in close proximity to these quarters.

OODM There are obviously lots of ways to approach this! "Investigation" type rolls are possible. Faction moves (Night is the predominant faction currently) are certainly available. Violence is on the table. Flight or perhaps finding alternate pathways is possible, though that would take Anne off the path she knows. In your post, please feel free to declare your intent, describe an action, and make a Move. The tunnel is for the most part a clean featureless boxy cement service tunnel. You haven't seen train rails yet. There is not a lot of cover, aside from an occasional reclaimed bench or chair, some oversized carboard boxes, and perhaps a stray pallet and pallet jack. The groups and doorways I've mentioned imply that people are living in these tunnels, so it's definitely not just maintenance happening down here. I'm interested in hearing how you all interact with each other, on the long walk before Anne returns with her warning!

[Elanir]

The Spectre Anne Charlotte Beall, the Spectre "Thank you." There was a warmth in Andre’s words, a genuine feeling of gratitude, despite the Wolf being the growling, slavering beast that he was. It was… unexpected. It woke something inside the Spectre, something precious that she had thought long gone. She extended her spectral hand, but before her fingers were able to caress the Wolf’s cheek, she stopped. She knew what her touch did to living beings, she knew what it felt like. She could rob the sanity of the weak-willed this way and break the resolve of the craven. Andre was neither, she knew that well, but her touch was a curse, not a blessing to him. She pulled back her arm and said nothing, choosing to lose herself in the tunnels instead. For minutes she traveled, for hours. She wasn’t sure exactly how long, for time was immaterial. She listened to the words of the few people she met, words that didn’t interest her, and stared hatefully at the miniature cinematograph with its lights and sounds and moving figures. She wondered how people chose to give their full attention to the mirror-like object and gather around it, charmed by the garish colors and the ear splitting noise. She pitied them, but their unnatural fascination served her well. The Spectre continued, the near-darkness calling to her to follow and so she did. Until she saw a new group, different from the ones she had met before, alert, dangerous. The rifle’s bullets could do her little harm, but they could open gaping holes in Andre’s body, they could make his head explode in a shower of bits of bone, flesh, blood and fur. She remembered Thomas’ rifle turned towards her. She remembered the hardness in his eyes, the hatred, the look of utter disgust. She still heard her pleading words, asking him to remember that she was his wife, his one and all, his partner for life. She remembered the tears wetting her cheeks, her hair falling in front of her eyes, her hands raised in supplication, in adoration. He didn’t speak. He merely looked at the unmoving bodies in their cradles and pulled the trigger. Ending what had been. Starting Anne’s new existence. Empty, lonely, without pleasure or purpose. The Spectre fled back to the group, the sight of the rifle waking a fear in her that was as powerful as it was unreasonable. She hated firearms with a passion. She hated those who wielded them. "Enemies ahead." Her warning interrupted whatever Andre and his pack had been talking about. "Four of them. Two Godless Missionaries and two workers, all of them touched by darkness. One carries a rifle. They come this way." Were they to fight? To try to hide? Where? The Wolf and the men by his side, the rogue, the tailor, the collector, did not have Anne’s gift to lose themselves in the shadows. They were creatures of flesh and blood. Weak. Vulnerable. "I can draw them away", she suggested. "I can distract them. Allow you to sneak by. Or hide. Or fight." She could try. But not without consulting Andre first. She owed him that much. For the warmth and the gratitude.

 

If the others agree, Anne will try to Mislead/Distract/Trick the hostile group. Because of her Won’t be ignored feature she rolls with Spirit, not Mind. In case a roll is needed, I got a 7. Anne will choose to 1) confuse them for some time and 2) create an opportunity for the party to either sneak by, hide or ambush them.

 

The Spectre Anne Charlotte Beall (born Varney), The Spectre Advancement Advancements Mortality [X] Night [ ] Power [X] Wild [X] Vintage, confused, changing (elegant or neglected), nostalgic, tortured, mercurial Basics Hold 1 Ongoing 0 Stats Blood Heart Mind Spirit 2 0 -1 2 Factions Mortality Night Power Wild 0 1 0 1 Harm Armor=0 Faint [X] ________________ Grievous [ ] [ ] ________________ Critical [ ] [ ] ________________ Scars [ ] -1 BloodShattered [ ] -1 HeartDisfigured [ ] -1 MindFractured [ ] -1 SpiritBroken Moves Corruption [X] [X] [ ] [ ] [ ] Corruption Moves text- text- text- text- Drama Moves Corruption Move: When you witness a scene of victimization and do nothing, mark corruption. Intimacy Move: When you share a moment of intimacy -physical or emotional- with another person, you hold 1. Whenever they get into trouble, you can spend your hold to be there. Archetype Moves Manifest: Regular people can’t sense or interact with you unless you manifest. You manifest by spending a few quiet moments concentrating and choosing 2: • You can be heard • You can be seen • You can touch and be touched by the physical world You may mark corruption to instead choose 1 or all 3. Won’t Be Ignored: When you get in the way of someone, treat your roll as a 10+ without rolling. If you distract an NPC, roll with Spirit instead of Mind. ”Wall? What Wall?”: You always have an opening to escape a situation. You can choose an additional option off the list to bring someone with you. On a miss, you attract the attention of dangerous spirits and ghosts in the area. Gear Gear Handkerchief Locket with portraits of her children Bottle of laudanum Wedding ring Diary   Weapon (specs): Letter opener (pocket knife) Debts Debts: Anne owes Farhad 2 debt(s) for reclaiming (= stealing) from him her “serpent’s eye” wedding ring Cole owes Anne 1 debt(s) for being the (distant) descendant of her killer, Thomas Beall Anne owes Brassavola 2 debt(s) for protecting Annie Hayes Anne owes Celia Hershfeld-Reyes 1 debt(s) for the newspaper journalist investigating what happened to Thomas Beall after leaving George Town Celia Hershfeld-Reyes owes Anne 1 debt(s) for for helping her with investigating the supernatural origin of some of the City’s corruption Andre owes Anne 1 debt(s) for for helping him locate Vasili and the Missionaries

[wodine]

Do Dragons Burrow I suspect the ghost is correct. It is best if we can arrive unannounced and without copious amounts of gunfire to indicate the intrusion. Farhad masked his disdain at having to agree with the thieving specter. She was a nuisance at the best of times and a poltergeist at the worst, but her incorporeality had proved useful, thus far, in this endeavor. Tell me what do we know about this Mission. The air quotes around the word Mission, though not visible were audible. If they possess the need and the ability to procure automatic weapons then perhaps they are more dangerous than the singular strange man we’ve encountered would imply. Farhad was no stranger to automatic weapons. When shipping priceless artifacts and art objects around the world, particularly to and from the places he thought of as home, it was inevitable that one or two crates of carefully packed select-fire, gas-operated, magazine-fed AK-12s or M-4s would be mingled in with the shipment. It was just business. While Farhad had no particular love of guns, he had seen their effectiveness, and he did not wish to test the tenacity of his hide against them. I suggest we make haste, and leave Ms. Beall to her work.

OoC No moves (I don’t think), just pressing forward. If we run into a group of people Farhad will immediately attempt Don’t You Know Me?: When you try to mislead or trick someone into believing that you are an important or powerful person, roll with Spirit.

[jbear]

Andre, the Wolf The long tunnel is unnerving. No left. No right. Only forward of back. Clack after clack echoes through the awkward silence. Fahrad's confidence is evident which makes Andre stand up a little straighter. His mouth opens to speak but only small talk comes to mind and it feels inappropriate, so he closes it again. Fahrad's question comes between air quotes. Andre wishes he had answers. He wishes he could sound smart and informed. But he is walking in here as blindly as the others. Only the Spectre has been here before. Only the Spectre has an inkling of what lies ahead. Andre stumbles over his apology for his ignorance. "I wish I... Unfortunately, you know as much... ehem. I'm sorry. I've never been down here before. The ghost... she followed the Missionaries down here after they came looking for me under the bridge, remember? So when I lost Vasili's scent at the Metro station I tracked her down to help me find the way. I can smell him now though. I mean... I have his scent. But I really don't know what to expect. Sorry." Andre feels foolish. He prays he hasn't dragged the others into a fool's errand that winds up getting someone hurt. But everyone seems calm, taking things in their stride... like this wasn't their first rodeo. "So this isn't your first rodeo, I'm guessing? I mean with ... you know... the supernatural. I'm new to... ehem... I should shut up." Andre is relieved when Anne reappears with news of what lies ahead, which is a strange reaction to hearing that men with automatic weapons block their path. No tricks. Lead your pack forward. Go for the neck! Andre grimaces and shoves the wolf's hunger for violence away. He nods in agreement with Fahrad. Anne's plan is perfect. "Lead them away. We'll sneak by."

OOC In agreement with Anne's plan to mislead the group away and sneak by. Do we need to roll anything? If so, let me know. Otherwise, also pushing ahead and sneaking by once Anne leads the armed men away.

[hafrogman]

Cole Schneider, the Veteran Ducky Draws Art In his mind, Cole turned over the answers he had received to his question. It seemed there was rather less plan than he might originally have hoped. Andre had brought them here in the hopes of... what, exactly? A show of strength to convince this Vasili to cooperate? The scene from the arena's locker room rose unbidden to his mind. No, the Missionary was no threat to the wrestler, especially not in Andre's current... condition. But dead men could not provide answers (notwithstanding certain rituals documented in one of Cole's more esoteric books). It increasingly seemed like he, and the others, had been brought here to protect Vasili from Andre. These thoughts plaguing him, the tailor walked along the tunnels in silence until their "scout" returned. Another exception to any generalizations about the dead speaking, this spectral presence felt eerily familiar. But there were far more important things to focus on for the time being, such as the armed guard coming their way. Sneaking by was probably their best bet, but... "I do not believe we will be able to convince a second guard that we simply got lost so far into their territory. From here we commit to this path... or escalation."

 

Moves and Rolls ...

 

Sheet Cole Schneider, the Veteran Caucasian male, tailored clothing. Professional. STATS Blood -1 Heart 1 Mind 1 Spirit 1 FACTIONS Mortality 1 [ ] Night 0 [X] Power 0 [X] Wild 1 [ ] HARM [ ] Faint [ ] [ ] Grievous [ ] [ ] Critical ARMOR 0 ... ... ... SCARS [ ] -1 BloodShattered [ ] -1 HeartDisfigured [ ] -1 MindFractured [ ] -1 SpiritBroken GEAR Apartment Car (Nice) Smartphone 2-harm close loud9mm Beretta ... ... ... ... MOVES When you first encounter an NPC, you may declare them an old friend instead of Putting a Face to a Name and roll with Mind. On a hit, they offer you comfort and aid, even if it exposes them to danger or retribution. On a 7-9, tell the MC why you owe them a Debt. On a miss, tell the MC why they want you dead.Old Friends, Old Favors When you create something for someone using your Workspace, mark their Faction.True Artist When you get caught up in a fight you tried to prevent, you get armor+1 and take +1 ongoing to seeing yourself and others to safety.Too Old for This S--t! ... ... ... CORRUPTION MOVES Corruption [X][ ][ ][ ][ ] ... ... DRAMA MOVES When you knowingly head straight into danger, mark corruption.Veteran Corruption Move When you share a moment of intimacy—physical or emotional—with another person, tell them a story about the past and the lessons you learned. Choose 1: You both take +1 forward You take +1 forward and they take -1 forward Hold 1. Spend the hold to Lend a Hand to that character from any distance Intimacy Move When you die or retire your character, choose a character to inherit your Workspace and True Artist.End Move WORKSPACE A Library of Old Books A Mystical Focus Magical Wards   DEBTS ... owes me 2 debts for relying on my training or knowledge Andre owes me 1 debt for One custom-built werewolf wrestling costume that can survive his transformation.a big project that's nearly ready Victor owes me 1 debt for Cole thinks he's teaching Victor how to survive the shadows, but his training is less than effective.protection? I owe Cassandra 1 debt for emergency tailoring supplies

[Roekahs]

Victor Young Into the tunnels. The atmosphere is tense, and rightfully so. Victor feels some comfort in the crew that had been rallied, while also acknowledging that it is strange to see them all here. Small talk is almost non-existent and any thread that comes to Victor seems hollow in the moment. So he keeps the pleasantries to a minimum. Still it is always good to see Cole, and Victor gives him a friendly elbow and nod as they progress. He doesn't dare do the same to Andre in his current state for fear that the reflexive response would leave him headless, but he walks close to the hulking beast's shoulder trying to exude a sense of confidence to ease the tension he senses in the boy beneath the beast. Farhad, on the other hand, seems to need no boost to his confidence. As much as Victor hates to admit it, he is glad to have the old man along; he is clearly more than he appeared to be and they can use all the 'more' they can get in the moment. The only nagging doubt … concern? ...question? … is what is really going on that has brought this group of primarily isolationist loners together. In this world, even Victor falls into that category. He has his mortal life and connections, but when it comes to the shadows it is a far narrower net of what might even remotely be considered friends. Yet, here they all are. Of course, Victor is just happy to be invited to partake … uh, participate at all, but the others all seem more embedded in the world so their participation must mean something. The only thing that makes sense in Victor's mind is that something in the shadows is stirring. Those thoughts are interrupted by motion ahead. Victor's pistol is in his hand in an instant, then trained on the tunnel ahead as he recognizes the spectre. Did she give a signal? Victor's senses – and pistol - remain trained on the tunnel ahead even as the conversation goes on around him. The blood rushes through his veins. He can feel the age-old response boiling beneath the surface. And flight is not on his mind. Somewhat disappointed in the decision – while also acknowledging the wisdom – Victor pulls his attention back to the spectre. "Be careful. If they is touched by darkness, you don't know what tools they got. Bullets may not mean much to you, but bullets ain't everything." There is a strong pull toward trailing the spectre to watch her back. Despite all their past friction she is a part of whatever team this is. After a moment of internal debate, Victor finally lowers the pistol. "I don't like you off alone, but it don't make sense for me to slow you down. I ain't going far, though, so you holler if anything goes wrong." OOC Snoop roll: 8; holding 1   Victor Young, The Aware Hold 1 Ongoing 0 Stats Blood Heart Mind Spirit -1 1 2 0 Factions Mortality Night Power Wild 1 1 1 -1 Corruption [ X ] [ X ] [ X ] [ X ] [ ] Corruption Moves text- text- text- text- Harm Armor=0 Faint [ ] ________________ Grievous [ ] [ ] ________________ Critical [ ] [ ] ________________ Scars [ ] -1 BloodShattered [ ] -1 HeartDisfigured [ ] -1 MindFractured [ ] -1 SpiritBroken Drama Moves Corruption Move: When you ignore your mortal responsibilities to deal with the supernatural, mark corruption. Intimacy Move: When you share a moment of intimacy with someone who is not mortal, mark corruption. Archetype Moves Snoop: What's my best way in/out? Who are what here is not what they seem? What happened here recently? What here is the greatest danger to me? Whose turf is this? When you keep an eye out for trouble, roll with Mind. On a 10+, hold 3. On a 7-9, hold 1. While you're there, spend your hold to ask the MC questions 1 for 1. On a miss, you're in over your head. The MC will tell you why this is a bad spot. Expert Marksman: When you unleash with a firearm, roll with Mind instead of Blood. I Know A Guy: When you Hit the Streets or Put a Face to a Name with Mortality, roll with Mind instead of Faction. Advancements Mortality [X] Night [X] Power [ ] Wild [X] ... Gear Simple Apartment smart phone decent car {etc} 9mm Beretta (2-harm close loud) Debts: {Name} owes me {#} debt(s) for {what I did} Cole owes me 1 debt(s) for protecting him Brassa owes me 2 debt(s) for not telling secrets Victor owes Cole 1 debt(s) for protecting him Victor owes Andre 1 debt(s) for protecting him Victor owes Anne 1 debt(s) for helping him Victor owes Brassa 1 debt(s) for saving him a beating Other:

[Wynamoinen]

The persued Anne sees danger approaching, and as promised she returns quickly to warn the others. She offers to serve as distraction, and the group pretty much unanimously agrees that this is a good plan. She resists making contact with Andre, and flits off unseen. She quickly advances back towards the patrol and makes her presence known. One of the Missionaries says in a loud voice, "Hey, you! Who are you? Come he..." and then Anne all but evaporates. There is another spur tunnel nearby, and she makes it clear to the patrol that she's heading in that direction. "Wait!" another member of the patrol shouts. "Spooks," a third mutters as they dash after her, turning down the side passage. Anne is used to coming and going as she pleases, with no one being any the wiser. An uncomfortable realization soon comes to her: this group appears to be 'the wiser.' They don't appear to be able to see her or hear her better than any others. But they know that she is there, somehow, some way. Shaking them off will not be as easy as moving invisibly. Anne moves past a few more doors to residences, and then a group of impoverished people, apparently without the means to set up a stable home, even down here in this underworld. They have spread out a few tarps and ratty sleeping bags, and sit on crates and rusty folding chairs. They are nothing to Anne. But they are something to the patrol. The patrol stops near the squatters. Three of them strain to... sense... something. They sniff, they listen, they squint. They can feel more than mortal senses would reveal. The fourth, the one with the rifle, looks to the squatters. "Hey, junkie," he spits, half-kicking, half shoving-with-foot the nearest person sitting in the tunnel. The man sprawls to the ground. "Where did they go? The ghost. We know they came by." The gun toting man steps forward, kicks aside some of their nearby fast food bags, and looms over a second squatter. "It's bad for your health to hide people who don't belong down here." He strikes a metal folding chair with an open hand, sending it clattering away. The squatters cower, confused and unsure how to respond.

The persuers Anne's distraction works. Andre, Cole, Farhad, and Victor are able to lay low as they watch the four members of the patrol move at a quick clip down a spur tunnel. Giving them a few minutes to move further away, the pack then moves along the tunnel. They move past the side tunnel and beyond, then hear a voice barking questions, followed by a loud clatter of metal on concrete. If they wanted to move along without trouble, now is the time. But Anne may have her own trouble in turn.

OODM If you so choose, the main body of the group can sneak by unnoticed thanks to Anne's efforts. But at least one of you expressed a desire not to split up too much. So, I'm not advancing too far. The rest of you hear a commotion in a side tunnel. The patrol and a group of squatters are between Anne and the rest of the group. Most of you can easily keep moving along without becoming entangled in thta situation. But you can also entangle yourself in what is happening with Anne, if you wish. Some bookeeping: @jbear, are you on a "hunt" for Vasili? You've already kept your cool, so you've got full control AFAIAC. But going on a hunt marks corruption. @hafrogman: are you knowingly heading straight into danger? If so, mark corruption. I'll let you each decide. As far as Cole goes, nothing so far has immediately put him in peril. But... you are pretty explicitly forming a party to dive into the unknown dangers of the shadows. And depending on how you handle the current encounter, you should maybe mark it anyways. And @Elanir, there is a scene of victimization before Anne. You can leverage it for a +1 to try and flee. But ignoring it will mark corruption.

[Elanir]

The Spectre Anne Charlotte Beall, the Spectre Victor’s warning caught Anne by surprise. His offer to help her even more so. She looked at him skeptically. This was surely a trick. This was the man who had blackmailed her in the past, the man whose neck she would have snapped without second thought. And yet, she could detect no malice, no deception or attempt to profit by fooling her. In fact, putting himself between herself and Vox’s armed men could easily cost Victor his most precious possession - his life. She came closer to the still young man, Anne can be heard and touch/be touched, but not seenher face unseen by his mortal eyes and yet so close that their lips almost touched. There was no doubt that he was attractive in a wild sort of way. Her papa would never have approved a match between them, of course. Neither could she have ever pictured herself at his side. But she could see the concern in his eyes, hidden well beneath layers of greed, vices and lies. She would have smiled, but no longer knew how to. Perhaps the skin and muscles of her face would have been able to mimic the expression, but these were things of the past. All Anne was now was stubbornness, grief and anger. "I will", she whispered and a cold breeze made the skin of his face crawl. The next moment, she was away. ***** The angry men with their guns were after her, shouting for her to appear. She had never expected that they would have followed her as doggedly as they did, like barking hounds chasing after a fox, the scent of the fleeing animal driving them crazy. Her immaterial nature ensured that she was always one step ahead, but her pursuers would not give up. They could sense her presence as surely as she could sense theirs, ever nearer, more threatening, the noose slowly closing around her. Anne soon found herself moving between people who were barely worthy of the name. Sad, pathetic individuals who lived their lives in the darkness much like the Spectre did. Had she met them on the street as a young woman, she would have covered her nose with her scented handkerchief to block the stench of their existence and pressed her body against Thomas, who would have responded by placing his arm protectively over her shoulders and increasing his pace. Beggars, vagrants, lost souls. More beasts than men, their eyes small and hungry like the eyes of rats. They disgusted Anne, the Earl’s daughter, the wife of the honorable Thomas Beall. And they disgusted Vox’s men too, it seemed, who maligned and abused them in their search for the Spectre. Anne stopped. This was the perfect opportunity to escape. While the men were distracted, she could easily flee. No wall or door would deny her passage, no compassion would make her take the vagabonds’ side. But pride would. And anger. Anne would not run away. Not in death. She would fight back. She reached out to the world with her mind, seeking to shape it according to her will. The world resisted, but she persisted and eventually matter submitted to the spirit. For a moment, Anne was not herself, but an entity that was part of her surroundings, able to lift and push and throw and bend and break. Poltergeister, the Germans called such entities and gave them a wide berth. They were wise to do so, as Vox populi’s men would soon find out.

 

Anne let’s it out, using her surroundings to attack the men following her like a poltergeist would. Since I rolled an 11, Anne 1) marks corruption, 2) frightens her opposition (hopefully driving them away) and 3) takes definitive hold of something exposed (the assault rifle). She intends to give the gun as a gift to Victor. Perhaps it has special powers?

 

The Spectre Anne Charlotte Beall (born Varney), The Spectre Advancement Advancements Mortality [X] Night [ ] Power [X] Wild [X] Vintage, confused, changing (elegant or neglected), nostalgic, tortured, mercurial Basics Hold 1 Ongoing 0 Stats Blood Heart Mind Spirit 2 0 -1 2 Factions Mortality Night Power Wild 0 1 0 1 Harm Armor=0 Faint [X] ________________ Grievous [ ] [ ] ________________ Critical [ ] [ ] ________________ Scars [ ] -1 BloodShattered [ ] -1 HeartDisfigured [ ] -1 MindFractured [ ] -1 SpiritBroken Moves Corruption [X] [X] [X] [ ] [ ] Corruption Moves text- text- text- text- Drama Moves Corruption Move: When you witness a scene of victimization and do nothing, mark corruption. Intimacy Move: When you share a moment of intimacy -physical or emotional- with another person, you hold 1. Whenever they get into trouble, you can spend your hold to be there. Archetype Moves Manifest: Regular people can’t sense or interact with you unless you manifest. You manifest by spending a few quiet moments concentrating and choosing 2: • You can be heard • You can be seen • You can touch and be touched by the physical world You may mark corruption to instead choose 1 or all 3. Won’t Be Ignored: When you get in the way of someone, treat your roll as a 10+ without rolling. If you distract an NPC, roll with Spirit instead of Mind. ”Wall? What Wall?”: You always have an opening to escape a situation. You can choose an additional option off the list to bring someone with you. On a miss, you attract the attention of dangerous spirits and ghosts in the area. Gear Gear Handkerchief Locket with portraits of her children Bottle of laudanum Wedding ring Diary   Weapon (specs): Letter opener (pocket knife) Debts Debts: Anne owes Farhad 2 debt(s) for reclaiming (= stealing) from him her “serpent’s eye” wedding ring Cole owes Anne 1 debt(s) for being the (distant) descendant of her killer, Thomas Beall Anne owes Brassavola 2 debt(s) for protecting Annie Hayes Anne owes Celia Hershfeld-Reyes 1 debt(s) for the newspaper journalist investigating what happened to Thomas Beall after leaving George Town Celia Hershfeld-Reyes owes Anne 1 debt(s) for for helping her with investigating the supernatural origin of some of the City’s corruption Andre owes Anne 1 debt(s) for for helping him locate Vasili and the Missionaries

[wodine]

Do Dragons Burrow Farhad smiled as the Specter did her duty and lead the mercenaries away. She had finally done something, not only useful, but according to a plan. And then he heard the Shouting. The Screaming. The Terror. He knew all too well what had happened. Someone, or something had wronged the specter – knowingly or unknowingly, imagined or real and she could not suffer it. And so they would all suffer for it. Fahrad turned mid stride in the shadows towards the shouting. He was relieved to notice that the men were scattered and fleeing, and the specter, her invisible yet undoubtedly twisted visage contorted and terrible, was holding an automatic rifle like a leafy dangling in a spider's web Charming. Fahrad turned, his nose noticing their presence before his eyes, and seeing the huddled group of vagabonds. If there were people who lived in these tunnels who were not with the Missionaries, they would certainly be a boon to their exploration. And what do we have here… Farhad’s voice changed to the dulcet tones and honeyed words he used when wooing his customers. It was efficient and expected, and everyone found it charming. Everyone.

OoC I’m assuming Elanir sent the gunned folk running. Fahrad will Figure them Out, the vagabonds (I’m treating the group as one character). How could I get your character to lead us through the tunnels? How can I put the vagabonds in my debt?