To Boldly Go: the Expedition to the Artifact

Originally published May 26, 2014

Another installment from my Fate game To Boldly Go.

In the recorded history of the Federation, there have been no encounters with any signs of intelligent alien life. Alien life, yes. In the seas and surfaces of distant worlds, humanity has found strange bacteria, viruses, even primitive animals and plants. But nothing to even approach the intelligence of a canine or even reptilian mind.

Except on the world of the Artifact.

Rumored to hold the ruins of an alien civilization billions of years old, an expedition has recently been mounted to find and explore this system.

Expedition Members

Those who have chosen to go on this adventure are a diverse and eager group from a half-dozen different colonies. Their enthusiasm will be tested by travelling far beyond explored space, weeks away from any source of rescue and exposed to unknown life forms and defense mechanisms.

Here are a sample of the roster:

• Tom Warner: a citizen of New Earth, he hopes to catalogue the life of this strange new world. This blond-haired man seems to get along with just about everyone.
• Jixie Hite: also comes from New Earth where his family worked for the Hite Corporation for the past three generations. Jixie broke with tradition and ran off to play explorer.
• Srivani Smith: a tall friendly woman of Indian heritage, Srivani hails from the enclave of Persimmon. Something of a radical, she detests the ruthless corporations of the Federation.
• Marija: a Kimo parahuman, genetically engineered to have hands instead of feet, Marija is ill-suited for the exploration of the dry dusty world of the Artifact. Her reasons for being involved remain a mystery.
• Alex Aol: always doing things by the book, this Space Gypsy has been on 6 expeditions with the team leader Saori Lu. She tends to be reserved in the company of strangers.

Four main languages are spoken in the expedition though almost no one knows all of them. New Speak, the language of New Earth is most common, followed by the Space Gypsy creole. Kimo, a variant of the Gypsy tongue, and Persimmon, a variant of Hindi, make up the other languages. Understanding any given language is an Average Difficulty (2) Language task.

• High Concept: Enthusiastic Explorers
• Skills: Culture +1, Academics +1, Science +1

Mercury Lu

The beautiful Mercury Lu was the leader of a small colony of Space Gypsies and one of the first "outsiders" encountered by the Federation Space Vessel Columbia on its first foray beyond Federation space. This encounter went poorly after a brief romantic relationship with the Executive Officer Steve Walmart went sour, due to his documenting her copyright violations. It remains unclear if she was trying to hit or just to scare him with her laser shots. In any case the First Contact Team didn't stick around to find out.

The Federation remains generally unaware of Mercury Lu's business, which is brokering deals for hard to acquire (i.e. illegal) items. She has contracted with companies and individuals throughout the Ceti Alpha sector, including Samsung and the Primate Liberation Army. The last deal she helped broker failed disastrously with the goods being destroyed along with the buyer and seller.

With her activities potentially under investigation, she decided to lay low and slinked back to her estranged wife, Saori Lu, joining her on the expedition. She met Saori on a research expedition investigating reports of fossils in a series of comets. The two hit it off and became close. Perhaps marrying was a bit hasty but Mercury was never one to hesitate. This comes to strain their relationship after a series of infidelities.

• High Concept: Gypsy Angel Free Trader
• Trouble: Ruled by Emotions
• Other Aspects: Beautiful but Bitter Infosocialist
• Skills: EVA +5, Rapport +4, Combat Training +3, Will +2, Computer +1
• Stunts: Neural Interface: can using Computer wirelessly, +2 to hacking systems; zero G Acrobatics: use EVA instead of Athletics when moving freely in micro gravity environments
• Stress: 2 Physical/3 Mental [Mild Consequence]

Culture: Space Gypsies

Wanderers across the empty regions of space, Space Gypsies subsist by mining asteroids and comets. They are one of the few cultures in the Federation that have maintained a separate identity, perhaps helped by their general remoteness and their adaptions to zero G environments.

They refer to themselves as Gypsy Angels or Tennin. Throughout known space, they have a reputation as pirates and thieves. In the Federation this is compounded by a general distaste for their use of cybernetics and non-therapeutic genetic engineering.

Space Gypsies universally belong to the genetic variant known as Tennin (a reference to Buddhist angels). Tall and willowy, they possess genes that ensure they do not suffer degenerative bone damage from a lifetime in deep space. With improved genetic repair mechanisms to deal with ambient cosmic radiation and prehensile toes for better gripping, they are well adapted to the zero G environments of space.

Technologically, the Tennin culture is comparative with the Federation but with a much smaller resource base. They make heavy use of neural interfaces to allow them to relay messages silently even in a vacuum and favor the use of laser weapons.

Their language is a mixture of Mandarin and English. They speak either sufficiently well to communicate with most inhabitants of the Federation but few members of the Federation can understand them with such ease.

Saori Lu

Saori Lu's full history remains unknown. Much older than her wife Mercury Lu, she has a reputation as a skilled scientist and academic, chiefly focused on contacting intelligent life in the galaxy. For the past half century she has scouted numerous worlds with signs of life, hoping to find evidence that these worlds at some point held an intelligent species.

Seemingly ageless, Saori's grandparents chose to give their children the Gilgamesh genetic template, optimized for increased intelligence and longevity. With centuries of life ahead of her, she can afford to be patient. Painstakingly she has cataloged thousands of alien species on dozen of expeditions. Most have been bacteria and primitive multicellular organisms. But finally on Persimmon, she was able to get funding for a trip out to the rumored world of the Artifact.

Mentioned in reports by wandering Space Gypsies for over a century, this rare earth-like world possesses the clearest evidence that we are not alone. Now she hopes to learn the history and knowledge of an intelligent race that vanished over 3 billion years ago.

Saori keeps her personal life out of her work as much as possible. Her wife, Mercury, however has decided to crash the expedition. This has not helped their rocky marriage. Between Saori's workaholic tendencies and foolish hope to recapture a long-lost youth, it's a miracle that Mercury hasn't left already. Saori knows about Mercury's infidelities with Steve Walmart as well as Mercury's criminal activities. She can't fault her for the later since she herself has made use of her criminal connections.

• High Concept: Humanity’s First Xeno-Archaeologist
• Trouble: My Way or Else
• Aspects: One Woman Expedition, Older Than She Looks, Stolen Experimental Defense Nantes
• Skills: Investigate +5, Academics +4, Science +4, Culture +3, Will +3, Physique +3, EVA +2, Linguistics +2, Notice +2, Rapport +2, Athletics +1, Empathy +1, Engineering +1, Medicine +1, Pilot +1
• Stunts: Attention to Detail: use Investigate instead of Empathy to defend against Deceive attempts, Indomitable: + 2 to defend against Provoke attacks specifically related to intimidation and fear, Superior Genes: increase the bonus from invoking “Older Than She Looks” to +4
• Stress: 4 Physical/4 Mental [Mild, Moderate, and Serious Consequence]

The Price Recap: Shattered Fates

Originally published May 23, 2014

Six years ago, I ran a two session story set in an asylum being consumed by a realm of thorns and monsters. The characters were tempted by deals and two PCs took them. Five years ago, I ran my first Changeling: the Lost Chronicle, Into the Hedge, which featured a magic mirror. Set in the fictional upstate town of Rosebriar, New York, it also featured an asylum prominently in its epic conclusion.

Now the characters of the The Price are visiting Rosebriar seeking Hedge. They too must visit the asylum, to rescue their friend. But reality has been rewritten and the keepers of the mirror are no longer present. Some things must be watched. As always a full index of the series can be found here.

Our cast:

• Marco McQueen: A Wizened Oracle who helps run McQueen Automotive with his father. Related to the Zerilli crime family, he works as an informant for the few honest cops in Detroit. His long time girlfriend, Charlie Cobwebs, has been taken to the Edgewood asylum.
• Miroslav "Mir" Callaghan: A Palewraith Darkling and member of the Guild of Shadows. He has uncovered a scheme that sealed away the True Fae from this world, one that is unraveling. He hopes to write the doom away with a magic quill. But first he needs the blood of a time traveler. Like Hedge.
• Nicole "Nikki" Callaghan: The cold Flowering Fairest with the gift of artistry, she has become a world-class art thief. She's repaired her life and wants to keep an eye out for her brother who she suspects might try to change it.
• Rocco McQueen: Levinquick Elemental who seeks to push the boundaries of where he can go both physically and in cyberspace. He recently founded a new guild, one for people like himself. He wants to protect those he cares about.

We pick up with the motley in the basement of the Edgewood asylum having beaten off some mad Hobs. An alarm may be raised at anytime.

Shattered Fates

Miraculously we started on time this session despite half of the players forgetting we were planning to play that night.

The motley and Alice quickly tie up the stunned madman they defeated. They can hear the footfalls of the rest of his gang heading upstairs. With no time to lose Rocco stuffs him in a closet and they quietly hurry up to the second floor.

I decided to try something new. Using an idea from GUMSHOE, I had everyone roll Stealth but allowed them to chose one of their own to be the leader. That person would receive a -1 penalty for each member that failed but if they succeeded everyone would go unnoticed.

Nikki as the art thief was chosen to make the crucial roll but had to do so under a -2 penalty due to the tight security. This was less than the original amount I wrote down for the story due to Rocco's downgrading of their computer systems.

Unfortunately Nikki failed her Dexterity + Stealth - 2 (security) +1 Shadows specialty roll.

The group finds a set of stairs to the ground floor, ascending carefully to avoid the many cameras. Several scan the halls using human eyeballs. Then they hear someone shouting.

A man in a white security officer uniform enters at the end of the hall, directing a half dozen orderlies. As the man rants about government surveillance and alien conspiracies, the blank eyed men about him rush the motley.

The "guard" was a player from one of my earlier games. He chose to embrace his insanity in the asylum and became its head of security.

I decided to run the fight with the guards as a Down and Dirty combat. In retrospect I should have made that a PC decision as it would have made some aspects of the outcome less confusing.

Led by Nikki, the Changelings, Mr. Skittles and Alice scramble away. One of the guards manages to grab Rocco as they hit the stairs, knocking him down hard. Rocco winces in pain and wriggles free, swiftly climbing the stairs to catch up with the others as they race to Dr. Edward's office.

Everyone chose to run and rolled Dexterity + Athletics to escape against the orderlies' combat pool of 6. They gained a +1 bonus due to their map of the halls. Everyone succeeded except Rocco who fails by one. He takes 1 Bashing. While Mr. Skittles shows up in the write up, I actually forgot him for the entire session, something Nikki chose not to mention.

Nikki and Mir get to the door first. Pushing it open, they find a small cluttered room with a computer, two desks and the faceless man waiting for them in the dark.

Nikki breathlessly circles the edge of the room to the only other exit, a closet door. As Mir waits for the others to enter, she baits the imposing figure, ignoring his threats and trying to get him to focus his attention on her.

"There is no way out," the Agent says getting up. "Give up and we'll make it as painless as possible."

Nikki distracts the Agent with a Presence + Subterfuge roll, inflicting the Distracted Tilt on him. He has a -3 penalty to his perception as he has to deal with her. Meanwhile Marco searches for clues to where Charlie and Hedge are with a Wits + Investigation roll. He spots a clue. Rocco and Alice choose to hold the door closed. they use a teamwork roll of Strength + Stamina +1 due to a chair used to prop it closed. This round they win against the orderlies.

Miroslav closes the door behind the rest of the motley, pushing the lock closed just before the orderlies arrive. He slides a chair under the door handle as Rocco and Alice brace against it.

While Nikki mocks and occupies the increasingly irate Changeling, Marco scans the room for information on the whereabouts of recent inmates. He notices a stack of patient file folders in the desk's inbox and recognizes Charlie's name. He gets closer hoping Nikki can keep him distracted.

Initiative time as the Agent starts the combat! Nikki goes first with 16, then the Agent at 12, Miroslav at 11, and everyone else later. At the end of round the orderlies will attempt to bash down the door.

Seeing Marco making his move, Nikki gets into the space of the dark suited figure, surreptitiously picking the key card off his belt. Angrily the Agent calls on Smoke to blind her. She feels her vision narrowing but shakes it off to see Marco slip the folders off the desk.

Miroslav commands the faceless Hob to stopping fighting but he arrogantly turns on the Darkling.

Nikki's Larceny roll is unopposed due her target's distraction and her Sleight of Hand Merit. He on his turn calls on Smoke 4, Nikki rolls Resolve + Wyrd vs. his Intelligence + Wyrd and wins.

Then Miroslav uses Spellbound 4, hoping to command the Hob. The Agent beats his Presence + Wyrd roll with his Resolve + Wyrd.

Marco filches the folders with a Dexterity + Larceny vs. the Agent's Wits + Composure -3 (due to the Distracted Tilt).

Unnoticed in the confusion, Marco glances at the papers. Charlie is somewhere on the basement level and a folder for Hedge points to the third floor.

A second crash against the door knocks the chair loose. As orderlies enter the room, Nikki opens the closet door into the Hedge and steps inside.

Alice and Rocco do not do as well on the second Strength + Stamina roll.

As the others rush to the door, the Agent focuses his rage on the presumptuous Miroslav. With a mighty backhand he sends the Darkling flying against the wall. Mir scrambles to catch up with the others and Nikki slams the door closed behind them.

The Agent rolls Strength + Brawl - Mir's Defense dealing 2 bashing damage.

They catch their breath in the thorn lined corridor. Suddenly the door creaks, cracks and collapses in on itself, trapping them in the Hedge. Darkness crowds the narrow space they are in, with spiky vines crawling along the crumbling cinder block. What little light there is filters through cracks in the walls.

Rocco pricks his finger on a thorn and calls upon his magic. He can tell there is no way out but back into Edgewood. As he leads them forward, they hear the screams and wails of the mad and the imprisoned.

Rocco uses Dream 1 and learns a bit about the local Hedge. He rolls Wits + Survival +1 to find his way back into the asylum.

They find a gaping hole along the path where a makeshift ladder has been bolted to the wall. Climbing down, they find themselves in an even darker section of the Hedge, warmed by rusted steam pipes. Sounds of tool work echo down the halls.

They wall through the dim halls, the sounds of screaming growing distant. They hear the roar of an engine starting up and then a series of lights click on above them one by one, illuminating a path branching off the main corridor.

Rocco rolls another Wits + Survival to determine the best way out.

Rocco tells them that either way should get them out. They decide to continue forward and avoid the branch. As they pass by the lit up hall, they see a figure just past the light. He calls out in Marco’s voice, telling them they need his help. "Charlie took the deal!" he calls out as they hurry along.

They find a fire exit shortly afterwards. Pushing through it they find themselves back in the basement. Marco recognizes the numbers on the doors and runs to find Charlie while the others struggle to keep up.

As they race along, Nikki asks if any key card doors are around. I have her roll Wits + Composure.

Nikki curses him as he runs past an obvious security camera. Then she skids to a halt. There is a door with a key swipe, like the one the Agent had, the one tucked away in her pocket.

But there is also another version of Nikki peering out of another doorway. Dressed in a hospital gown and completely normal looking, she whispers that she knows what Miroslav is up to. Nikki tells her she can't make a deal and moves on. Her reflection tells her that he doesn't know a key aspect of the problem, something that will derail everything. Nikki ignores her and heads on.

Meanwhile Marco finds the room where Charlie is being kept. The door opens easily and he hears his girlfriend's voice from inside. But as she emerges from the darkness, he can see that she has become changed.

Spiders crawl across her skin and multiple black eyes stand out across her forehead. As he hesitates she begins to get upset, claiming she was trying to make him happy. "I made a deal so we could have a family."

Marco rolls Wits + Empathy to tell she is still her.

Belatedly he hugs her, telling her that he doesn't need children, just her.

The others catch up as they embrace. Miroslav looks back to see his sister join them. Then she tenses up as she looks into the room.

Everyone rolls Wits + Composure. Nikki and Marco add 2 for Danger Sense. They both succeed.

She sees the faceless man emerge from the darkness behind Charlie. Marco spots him too and carefully moves his girlfriend behind him, backing out slowly into the hallway.

Then the motley realizes there are orderlies coming from all directions.

"Give up," the Agent shouts.

"Follow me," Nikki cries as she races to the locked door. She easily outraces the others, swiping the keycard through the slot and entering a white walled hallway with thorns pressing out of the walls.

Everyone rolls Dexterity + Athletics to escape the orderlies. They all succeed. Nikki rolls an Exceptional Success and gains the Swift Condition which grants a +5 bonus to Initiative.

The Agent manages to beat Miroslav's roll however. Rather than stop him, he slips through the door and invokes Mirror 3 to grow to size 8.

As the motley and Alice hurry through the doorway, the Agent manages to slip in as well. As Rocco slams the door shut, the faceless man begins to grow taller and taller until his head brushes the high ceiling.

Marco turns away from the door and surveys the long white hallway. He recognizes the thorns pressing out of the gleaming walls from his vision. "The mirror is nearby!" he calls out.

Cue epic combat!

Initiative is rolled. The Agent rolls high going at 16, then Marco goes at 14. Nikki uses her Swift Condition to get a 12, tying with Alice and Miroslav. then the guards and other defenders of the mirror go at 11. Everyone else goes after them.

As the giant Agent trades blows with Alice, Marco pulls out his gun and loads the cold iron bullets. He can hear the guards banging on the door behind him.

The Agent rolls an attack but misses. I don't roll for Alice, I just assume she hits for 2 Lethal, one of which is absorbed by the armor of the Agent.

Nikki realizes this place has been twisted by powerful magic, the Hedge is intruding on this part of reality. She hurries down the hall following the vines pressing through the walls.

At the end of the hall she find an ornate mirror hanging from a wall distorted by the massive vines pressing through the white paint. A half dozen figures wrapped in hospital gowns and bandages are clawing their way out the walls to either side of it. Nikki scrambles past them next to the mirror and draws her gun.

Miroslav dodges between the Agent's legs and rushes to catch up to his sister. As he arrives, the Unclean servants of the mirror extract themselves from the walls. Three stumble towards the Callaghans while the others go to aid the faceless giant.

Electricity arcs down from a light into Rocco surrounding him in a protective barrier. Charlie cowers next to Marco while Mr. Skittles does his best to hide.

Or you know, the Storyteller forgets them.

With a meaty fist, the giant grabs Alice. As he pulls her off the ground, Marco fires at his arm. As the bullet burns into his flesh he drops her.

I decide not to roll for the NPC interactions and go with what is most interesting.

Marco chooses to aim for the arm. He rolls Dexterity + Firearms +1 for his match grade ammo -2 for aiming at the arm. He hits by 1 and deals 2 Lethal damage which ignores the Agent's armor. As a side effect he drops Alice.

On the other end of the hallway, Miroslav looks into the mirror. Breaking it will be more a matter of will and sanity. But he also senses that it was broken once. For a moment he sees the cracks hidden beneath its glamour, weak points in its design.

Miroslav invokes his Condition Scent of the Wyrd and gets a Beat. He rolls Intelligence + Occult +2 from the Condition +1 from his Superstitions Specialty with 9 agains due to his Professional Training Merit. Unsurprisingly he gets an Exceptional Success. Rolls to break the mirror are Clarity rolls. I give him a Condition "Knows Its Weak Point" which will give him an autosuccess on a roll to break it.

Then the Unclean stagger toward them. As one wrenches free a cinder block from the wall, another smacks Miroslav with a fist. As he tries to shield his face, Nikki easily dodges the third one's clumsy swings.

One arms itself gaining an improvised weapon that deals 1 Lethal at the cost of a -1 penalty to its roll. The other rolls its Brawl pool minus Mir's Defense. It hits for 2 Bashing. Nikki Dodges for her turn while she waits for Mir. With a 10 dice pool she easily avoids being hit.

The others move to attack Rocco.

As the Unclean begin to surround him, Rocco arcs lightning into the Agent. The scent of burning flesh fills the air as he howls in pain.

Rocco uses Elements (electricity) 3 to deal 4 Bashing to the Agent.

Angrily, the faceless giant smashes his fist into Marco denting him into a wall. Charlie reaches over and blesses Marco as he gets to his feet. Lining up a shot he fires, the bullet tearing a hole in the Hob's throat.

The Agent rolls 5 successes (5 Bashing!) against Marco with his Strength + Brawl + 3 for Willpower. I haven't noted it but the Agent has been spending a lot of Willpower thus far. Marco earns a Beat for taking damage to his last three Health boxes.

Marco then fires back. He rolls Dexterity + Firearms +4 from Luck +3 from Willpower +1 from the equipment bonus -1 from wound penalties. He rolls four successes and deals 5 Lethal. The Agent has taken 8 Lethal and 4 Bashing filling up his Health track. He spends Willpower and remains conscious. If he shrinks back down now, it will kill him.

Another shot rings out, as Nikki splinters the frame. The mirror shimmers but holds together. Miroslav turns to the Hob with the cinder block and tries to command him to stop but he ignores him and smashes it over Nikki's head! The madmen swarm her and pummel her for attacking the source of their power.

Nikki rolls Clarity and gets two successes. Since she is using cold iron bullets as well, she deals 2 damage outright to the mirror. It has 7 Structure.

Elsewhere Alice inflicts 1 Lethal to the Agent. Miroslav tries Spellbound 4 again but fails barely.

Then the Unclean attack. One swings at Mir but misses. The other two strike at Nikki and hit, dealing 2 Lethal and 1 Bashing.

Elsewhere they swarm Rocco as well dealing 4 Bashing over several strikes. They take some Lethal for their troubles due to his armor.

At the other end of the hall, Alice continues to hit the giant with her staff, unaware that Rocco has been swarmed by the agents of the mirror. As they club the Elemental, they grit their teeth at the electricity that sparks back at them.

Rocco pushes past them and charges down the hall, hurling himself at mirror. A spiderweb of cracks is momentarily visible.

Rocco collides with the mirror and rolls Clarity. He gets two successes and deals 1 damage. The mirror is half broken.

Marco fires a third shot into the reeling giant as he feebly swats at him. Blood stains his suit about his arm, throat and gut. The Agent manages to fend off the staff wielding woman at his feet and totter down the hall in search of sanctuary.

The agent attacks Marco again but between his wound penalties and Marco's defense, he misses. Marco hits him again for 2 Lethal. I choose to have Alice miss this time to leave the killing blow to the PCs. The Agent burns his next to last Willpower staying conscious.

Miroslav shouts at the Hob with the cinder block to defend them. He pauses and swings the block at his comrade. As the three tussle, the others chase Rocco down the hall and attack the Changelings.

Nikki dodges out of the way and fires again. The bullet strikes the center. This time the cracks do not vanish. As magic power pours from the between slivers of glass, Rocco hurls himself at the mirror a final time.

Finally Miroslav beat the Resolve + Wyrd of a Hob, commanding him and earning a beat for his Aspiration to command a Hob. The confusion occupies all three of the Hobs while the other 3 ineffectually attack.

Nikiki rolls Clarity again dealing 3 damage and bringing the mirror to edge of shattering. Then Rocco rolls as well and deals enough to destroy it.

A pulse of power blasts down the hallway. Chunks of mirrored glass fly through the air. Everyone feels a rush of magical energy surge through them. For the Hobs and the Agent this is instantly deadly. The Hobs evaporate and the Agent collapses and shrinks into small bland looking man.

Charlie screams in pain as the "deal" burns out of her. She turns ashen but also into her old self. So does the hallway as the thorns pull back into the walls and disappear.

Everyone's Glamour refills. Charlie takes her Wyrd in Aggravated damage (which is 3 at the moment). The Agent takes double his Wyrd in damage, killing him outright.

As Miroslav directs the team to collect the shards, Nikki quietly palms a piece. They then head up to the third floor to retrieve Hedge. There is no resistance and the few people wandering the halls seem confused and disoriented.

The door to Hedge's cell is still locked but Nikki pops it open in a couple seconds. Inside they find the mad time traveler, even older and more insane, babbling about the mirror. From his mutterings they realize that his old motley reconstructed the mirror and used it to kill the Slender Man.

Both Nikki and Miroslav earn a Beat for their common Aspiration to learn the history of the asylum.

Then Hedge notices Alice. He eagerly asks if she has it, the Quill. She becomes crestfallen as she realizes neither of them have the means to redo their deal. Then Miroslav reveals that he knows its location.

Hedge rushes up to him and grabs him by his shirt, demanding the Quill. As Miroslav stalls, the old fae grows angrier and flames begin to lick at his hands as smoke rises from his body.

Hedge has Elements (Fire). He's killed with it before.

"Back off," Nikki says pointing her gun at him.

Hedge utterly ignores her, ranting that he needs his happy ending.

"You don't get one," Rocco says.

Hedge drops Mir and stalks over to the elemental. Flames begin to envelope the mad Darkling. Rocco and Marco try to calm the Hedge down but he soon moves in to harm them and get what he wants by force.

Its at this point I decide the doom from Rocco's destiny Merit is Fiery Darkness.

Initiative again! Nikki, Mir, Marco, and Alice beat Hedge.

Nikki shoots at Hedge with Dexterity + Firearms (he has no Defense) and deals 2 Lethal. The cold iron bullet burns through his elemental armor.

Then he winces in pain as the gunshot echoes in the hospital's corridors. As the smoke wafts from Nikki's gun, Marco points his own gun at the old man and tells him to back off or else.

Marco rolls Presence + Intimidate at -3 penalty to get him to surrender. He succeeds.

Hedge reluctantly backs away and lets the flames die down.

As he does Miroslav realizes that Hedge could never have his "happy ending" because he wrote the story. For the same reason Alice could not become mortal, not in the 18th century at least, or it would create a paradox. But now, she might be able to become mortal, if a deal was brokered.

Miroslav rolls Intelligence + Occult to figure out why the original timeline didn't work out.

Hedge agrees to come with them, holding out hope for his happy ending.

Together they leave the asylum. As they exit the building Nikki and Marco hear the growls and notice the swarm of cats lurking outside. As Marco gets Charlie behind him, Nikki runs to a nearby ambulance and hot-wires it.

Everyone rolls Wits + Composure + 2 for those with Danger Sense. Only Nikki and Marco succeed.

The others look on in horror the cats attack Hedge, biting and clawing him. Several bite at his bleeding bullet wound before scampering away.

Then the spell breaks and the motley beats off the remaining cats. Hedge is hurt but alive. Piling into the ambulance the group drives away. They pick up Ruzena along the way. By the time they arrive back at the hotel they realize that Feral Tom must have been after Hedge's blood. He must have the Quill and Book.

As they throw their things into the cars, Miroslav futilely tries to call someone back in Detroit. Rocco gets a hold of Leo. The creepy Hob tells him the Guild of Shadows is in ruins. Most of them died fighting the cats. The Queen of Shadows is missing. On the plus side, he and Ulf have recruited several new people for the Red Company and the Union has offered their help. Rocco tells him to arrange a meeting and find his mother the Queen.

Marco looks into the future. As he sees the timeline stretch out in front of him, something catches his gaze. The timelines are slowly being erased, elements removed from each one, working their way back into the past. His friends the Callaghans will be wiped from reality, their past unraveled by something that will happen.

Meanwhile Charlie discusses what Feral Tom might use Hedge's blood to write. Alice opinions that he might make a Contract with Iron, gaining immunity to all elements. Then Hedge points out he can't use the blood on the Book of Ages. If he did it would erase the original timeline he wrote, releasing the True Fae.

I've been waiting for this tidbit to come out for 10 sessions.

The group suddenly realizes that Feral Tom wants that. He would become all powerful and rule a restored Arcadia. Worse in the original timeline, Alice was a True Fae. She would never save Aiden as a baby and thus Aiden would never father Mir or Nikki. They would vanish. Marco and Rocco would remain but Hedge would lose all he tried to accomplish. It would be the worst of all worlds.

And the Lord of Cats got them to retrieve all the pieces he needed. They were conned.

Yes the long con has been revealed. Thought that came out pretty well.

Next session we will zoom back to the car trip. For now I sort of wanted to end the session on a climatic note.

The motley drive back as fast as they dare to Detroit, discussing what they will do along the way. Rocco gets word that his mother went missing before the attack and that her fetch is now back in the city, controlling the Detroit Mob.

Belatedly I award Beats. One to everyone for their collective Aspiration "Save Charlie" and one to Rocco for "Get Marco home safe".

By the time they arrive home dawn is nearly here. Leo calls Rocco to tell him the meet is in an hour in Mo-Hedge. Marco stops at his house and rouses his father. He asks if he can have his mom's old engagement ring. Rory McQueen sleepily nods and digs it out of the closet. As the others get ready, Marco proposes to Charlie.

She says yes.

Marco earns a Beat for his Aspiration "Propose to Charlie."

The motley meet the new recruits for the Red Company while they wait for the Machinist, the mysterious leader of the Union. One of the members, a beast named Ulysses, mocks Rocco's height and jokes that maybe he should be in charge.

Ulysses's personality summary: jerk.

Then the Machinist arrives. Under his cloak, a mechanical arms whirs. Then he looks at Marco with glassy eyes. For a moment he think the Machinist is his father. He is much older and stranger, but this is an older Marco, one that took the deal with the mirror. "You did better than last time but we have a lot to discuss."

Experience time! Many Aspiration accomplished this session. Nikki earned 2 Beats for Aspirations plus 1 for resolving a Condition. Miroslav accomplished 3 Aspirations and gained 1 Beat for a Condition. Marco earned 2 Beats for Aspiration plus 1 for being severely hurt. Rocco only earned 2 for his Aspirations.

That averages to 3 Beats. I add a Roleplaying Beat and a Session Beat for 1 Experience. I then add a bonus Experience for destroying the mirror. 2 Experiences for the group.

Next updating Aspirations.

Everyone wants the Quill gone. Most of the group (except Miroslav) adds the Aspiration: Destroy the Quill of Time and the Book of Ages.

Nikki adds Call on the Court of Jewels, hoping she can add more allies.

Miroslav adds Use Alice’s Blood to Write the Book out of Existence, Rally the Guild, and Rally the Dead of the Guild. Ghostly action next session!

Rocco adds Assert Authority and Stop Book from Being Altered. PC conflict incoming!

Marco settles for something simple: Question his other self.

Embracing Player Concepts

Originally published May 21, 2014

This week I was supposed to start my Apocalypse World game. Sadly some food poisoning caused the player who was hosting the game to cancel. But hopefully next week we will be on.

It should be interesting because several of my players have floored me with their enthusiasm and ideas. Most have been interesting but not crazy (where crazy is in relation to mask wearing Faceless and mind reading Brainers). But one has thrown me for a loop.

The dog. Yes, a dog. And not just a psychic dog like Patrick Henry Downs's playbook, but a non-psychic ordinary dog. I'm still not sure if he is just messing with me.

Embracing Oddball Characters

I could have just said no but I believe it is important to embrace the character concepts of your players. It is better say "Yes but..." or "Yes and.." than "No".

In this case the player already knew he wanted to use this playbook but minus the psychic aspect. Obviously there are some issues and I think its important to inform the player of the problems such a character would have. For the dog, minus his telepathy powers he will have a lot of problems communicating with people. He also chose not to have a human companion which leaves him less connected to the NPCs of the world, an important aspects of Apocalypse World.

I can understand the appeal of a strange character though. I've seen (and even made once) an animal character with limited abilities to manipulate the world. Generally however those examples could communicate with normal humans if they wanted to. I'm not sure if he is just bored and experimenting with something different or if this is some sort of acting out in protest of the setting. He seems to have to put too much work for a protest (I already have a page of backstory from him). One possibility which I hope is not the case is an attempt to subvert the setting (a foolish endeavor for Apocalypse World but potentially detrimental to the enjoyment of the other players).

My response was to inform him of the problems he would face. This wouldn't be a way out of interacting with people. Some "things" (or Brainers) would still be able to read his mind and communicate directly with him. Also complex communication would remain an issue. But in the end I relented.

I'm still not sure he won't change his mind. A big "If" is how the other players take his choice. Fundamentally a choice like this is most disruptive to the other players. If they find interacting with a combination of whimpering and barking uninteresting, it will be his character that loses screen time.

I still intend to give him the option of using the playbook's psychic powers. He doesn't have to have them ever come up but I want it there in case he does want to communicate. I also intend to work hard to introduce NPCs (especially children) who want things from the dog (playtime, a hunting companion, meat).

Where to Draw the Line?

So at what point do you cut off a character concept? The answer I believe is when that concept limits the fun of other players. If your concept is a lone wolf serial killer who murders those close to him in a game based on team tactics, the gamemaster should tell the player to shelve the idea for a more antagonistic game (if ever).

But where to draw the line in general? This will be subjective, depending on your other players, yourself, and the type of game you are running. This is why I think it is important that everyone buy into the game concept and build their characters together. That way all of the players are on the same page with the game master. Concepts that break the agreed upon setting can be decided there and then. For example, in a hard science fiction setting, if one player wants to play a mage, they can either be steered to some sort of analogue (a scientist, a hacker, a delusional occultist) or the group can renegotiate the game concept. If the player are not willing to bend, well sometimes you just have to uninvite them.

Most often if a character concept deviates too far from the setting that the rest of the group agrees upon, it is the player who loses out. Assuming the gamemaster spends equal amounts of time on each PC's subplot or actions, the other characters (those who line up with the rest) will often find themselves included in the stories of the others more than the oddball. They can be an oddball by themselves or play the game agreed upon with the rest. The issue becomes self-correcting.

Ultimately the line can be drawn by how well the character fits in and contributes to the story. For example in a pirate campaign, playing a reluctant pirate is fine, playing one of their captives who struggles against his captors is okay, playing the captain's parrot is odd but amusing. Playing the guy trying to sell out the pirates to the British Navy the first chance he gets is not.

Fun Examples

Finally a few examples of oddball concepts from my games over the years:

A Vampire in a Mage: the Awakening game: this is a "Yes but" example. I knew one of my players wanted to play a vampire for a while so when I ran a World of Darkness game, I decided to indulge her. But I restricted the character to a Covenant that would have some overlap with the themes of Mage. In this case she played an occult minded vampire in the Ordo Dracul, who used her knowledge of magic and control over a mystical site to manipulate some mages (the other PCs) into helping her political advancement.

The Escaped Fox Familiar: my previous encounter with an animal character, the fox was technically able to talk, being a former familiar of a long dead wizard. Cursed with immortality, she lived so long she forgot her very origins. Ultimately however she had to end up talking to the other PCs despite her hatred of humans (caused by the centuries of mistreatment she endured). As I said above, issues like this are self-correcting.

The Mute Albino Psychic: this may be more of the "Yes and..." character. From the same game as the fox, this creepy figure had a mouth stitched shut and acted as watcher and chronicler of events. I worked closely with the player to develop a name that consisted of strange symbols he broadcast into people's minds. Unfortunately the printer lacked the required fonts, resulting in empty boxes on his character sheet. Or as we decided, symbols too complex for your mind to comprehend.

What oddball concepts have you allowed into your games? How did they turn out?

To Boldly Go: The Derelict

Originally published May 19, 2014

Circling a red giant star calls Arcturus lies a damaged Federation space vessel. Lost over 3 decades ago, it holds secrets to unknown quarters of space and unexpected dangers.

Arcturus

Aspects:

• Bath of Radiation
• Orbited by Molten Rubble

The blazing red giant possesses a mass 5 times that of Sol and glows 2000 times brighter. The heat given off by this dying star is tremendous and its orbital system consists of little more than molten and baked chunks of rock.

At the very edge of explored space and with deadly radiation, no one has chosen to settle here. The intense heat has evaporated all of the volatile elements needed for life. For most there is nothing to find here.

But roughly 20 AU from the star, an artificial object moves in a stable orbit. To select craft it sends coded signals on an outdated Federation frequency.

FSV Google
Lockdown Code Gamma; Medical Emergency Code 631

The wreck of the Federation Space Vessel Google, an exploratory craft sent to the Kappa Sector 37 years ago, has circled this star for over 36 years.

Resembling a tall tower, this 90 meter vessel has decayed with time. With the core fusion reactor failing, most of the interior structure has become uncomfortably hot and humid. Gravitational systems remain disabled as are all transportation systems. The elevators don't even work.
The Codes

Lockdown Code Gamma designates that mission files remain under executive seal. Only a ranking member of the Federation can unlock them and only in person.

Medical Emergency Code 631 indicates a biological contagion of unknown origin.

Aspects

• Altered Systems
• Fragmented Computer System
• No Gravity
• Burning Sweatbox

Known History

The Google left Federation space 37 years ago via the Kappa branch point on a survey mission. Communication was lost soon after. Later research within the Federation determined that the branch point was closed off due to a collision between two worlds in the Kappa system. This altered the orbital structure of the system and cut off any connection between it and the Federation. The Google was stranded.

Secret History

After being stranded, the crew of the Google continued their mission hoping to find another way back home. Along the way they encountered a world with remnants of an alien civilization. They activated a defense mechanism while on the planet and before they could escape 5 of their 12 man crew were dead including the ship's captain, James Scott.

Acting Captain/Chief Corporate Officer Amelia Hasbro attempted to direct the Google to safety but the contagion brought on board the vessel proceeded to kill the crew one by one. The death was not pleasant. A form of nanomachine, the disease liquefied the crew one by one. Amelia triggered the warnings and lockdown before succumbing.

Unknown to her, the Medical Officer, Benjamin Roux, survived. Using an experimental treatment on himself, he mutated the virus. This altered his genetic structure so that the original disease couldn't kill him. But instead it drove him insane and deformed his body. In the decades since he has reorganized the Google's systems and attempted to restart the ship. The ship’s AI has tried to stop him but is precluded from killing him.

Ship’s AI: Lora

Lora was meant to be an aide to the crew of the Google. With hardwired rules against harming or allowing harm to the crew, its ethics were supposed to ensure that nothing would go wrong with the expedition. But it has been slowly corrupted and broken by Dr. Roux. It has locked down the ship and thrown up obstacles to protect others from being exposed to the virus and to keep Ben from taking the Google home.

At the same time it must keep Benjamin alive, even as he threatens the integrity of the vessel. In conversation it tries to be helpful despite its warped broken voice.

• High Concept: Fragmented AI
• Trouble: Hardcoded Ethics
• Skills: Will +5, Computer +4, Notice +3, Deceive +2, Empathy +1
• Stunts: Ship’s Systems: Use Computers to create obstacles or oppose overcome actions with respect to the Google.
• Stress: 2 Physical/4 Mental (2 Mild Consequences: one for Mental conflicts only)

Medical Officer Dr. Benjamin Roux

The sole survivor of the original crew, Ben would have succumbed to paranoia and desperation even without the raging virus in his bloodstream. He has been trying to break the ship’s AI for over 30 years hoping to gain access to the propulsion systems. With the ship's grow room and makeshift mushroom farms, he's managed to get by.

Meanwhile the virus ravages his mind and body. It won’t kill him but those without his genetic code will be liquefied by the disease.

• High Concept: Mutated Madman
• Trouble: Murderously Single Minded
• Other Aspect: Brilliant and Dangerous
• Skills: Stealth +5, Deceive +4, Physique +4, Medicine +3, Combat Training +3, Notice +3, Engineering +2, EVA +2
• Stunts: Slippery Target: he can use Stealth to defend as long as he at least 1 zone away in darkness, Unseen Terror: he can use Stealth to attack from the shadows for first strike

The Virus

This alien plague is actually a complicated nanoscale machine, self replicating and able to jump species barriers. Transmitted through air and fluids, this disease dissolves and mutates cells, eventually leaving a gooey mass of cancerous tissue.

• Aspect: Protean and Alien
• Skills: Complexity +4 (used to resist cures and investigation), Virulence +6 (for initial infection and spread), Mutate +2 (used to inflict damage and create symptoms of illness)

Apocalypse World: Planning the Unplannable

Originally published May 14, 2014

I'm faced with an interesting challenge. I've been wanting to run Apocalypse World again for some time but I still have two campaigns going with different groups. We are nearing the end though, with To Boldly Go having about 2 stories or 4 sessions left and the Price probably approaching its last session.

On the other hand, I'm expecting a break in my gaming this summer when my son is born. So I'm trying to squeeze in as much as roleplaying possible. My wife has sending me signals that she wants to play Apocalypse World as well (partly humor me I think).

So anyway Monday it was suggested at the gathering for the third gaming group I'm involved with that I might run a two session game of Apocalypse World. Starting Monday.

I'm bad at saying no.

Luckily Apocalypse World is light to nonexistent on prep. On the other hand, these are fairly serious roleplayers and two of them have run a really great game for us in the past. Its my first time running for them. I'll need my A game for this. As a plus if I can get them working off each other, I can step back a bit.

Preparation

The third item on Apocalypse World's Agenda is "play to find out what happens." I take that to mean prep as little as possible and never have a prepared "plot". You can find more on my gaming philosophy elsewhere but essentially my goal is present situations for the player characters to react to. But I won't have characters to plan against until Monday which leaves me in a bit of a lurch.

I do have one kernel to start building the world. The group seems interested in having an alien invasion as the source of the apocalypse.

For me this conjures images of shattered flying saucers, perhaps the burnt wreckage of the city saucers from Independence Day, littering the landscape. The aliens are dead, or mostly dead, leaving the survivors to rebuild a world poisoned by radiation and infested with alien vermin. Scenes of crazy War of the Worlds heat rays and rusted tripod walking suits, along with surviving tentacled horrors hiding deep in the wreckage of their armada.

One key thing I want to make sure of is that the action focuses on the interaction between people, not a battle verse the aliens. I think Apocalypse World works best when the focus is on the human relationships between the PCs and NPCs. So I want to make the aliens are not the dominant threat. They are out there, they've helped ruin the world, but people are the most common threat. Not to say all of the NPCs will be "human". i like the idea of human-alien hybrids being thing in this game where "they walk among us.". But at least they will be relatable.

One thing I can decide now is what playbooks to include. Obviously all of the core books should work. I've heard concerns of mixing more mobile books like the Driver with sedentary playbooks like the Hardholder but I think they can work out well as long as you make sure everyone has an interest in what happens the next town over.

As for limited edition playbooks I think a few standout: the Faceless (what is really under that mask?), the Hoarder (collection of alien artifacts?), the Quarantine (how did we "win" the war?), the Space Marine Mammal (are they a hostile alien or Terran ally?), and the Maestro'D (no particular tie in, just works well with others). I decided against the Solace and Touchstone as I don't want any grand visions of the future or higher standard in this game.

Prompt

I was asked for a prompt to get the players into the mindset for this game. Here it is:

They say the aliens descended from the stars like the hosts of heaven. They burnt the old cities with atomic fire and laser beams. We knocked their space ships from the sky with nukes and missiles.
That was in my father's father's time. Before the psychic maelstrom came, opening minds and breaking souls. Before the black rains and the days of endless snow, before the chittering things crawled from the molten slag and bred with the last rats. Back when we humans ran the world instead of scrounging to survive.

Now we get by, farming mutant taters or stealing from those who do. Some do odd jobs or protect island of humanity in the wastes. Some freaks even try to scavenge alien tech from the wreckage. Its not like they need it.

As for the aliens, some say we stopped them with atomic fire, some say it was ID4 crap, some just say they just got sick and died. That last one can't be true though.


You can hear them sometimes when the wind dies down, crawling around in their broken saucers. They take our children sometimes. Maybe they eat them, maybe they do experiments.

Me and the girls are going to toss these old grenades down into the wreckage to see what crawls out. Want to join us?

Other Considerations

A big thing that remains up in the air is the number of players. We have a new player in the group and potentially her husband will join us as well. That means I could have anywhere from 4 and 6 players. 4 or 5 is pretty good for Apocalypse World but 6 begins nearing my limit as a game master.

A key concern I have is ensuring that every character gets to interact with every other character. Going by pairs would take about 20 scenes with 6. So I'll need to arrange groupings of 3 or more. I've worked out that I should be able to cover everyone in roughly 7 scenes. I plan to use a chart like the one below to track everything though:

I have a few other play aides I'm putting together: a fresh list of names, a larger front map, and a synopsis sheet for the few Limited Edition playbooks I'm including. I'm pretty excited to be running this again. I'll let you know how it turns out.

To Boldly Go: Agents of Samsung Part II

Originally published May 12, 2014

In my Fate campaign the First Contact Team of the FSV (Federation Space Vessel) Columbia have encountered many dangers but the greatest have come from the powerful Samsung corporation, a fictionalized company that fled the corporate wars of the 23rd century to establish themselves as the premier bioroid (biological android) manufacturers of the colonies.

This week we look at the remaining agents that the company's nefarious leader, Atsu Sumsung, has used against the Federation as well his own capabilities.

Ju Li, Mark II

Ju Li was a custom bioroid servant of CEO Atsu Samsung-Exogenisis. Modeled on a genetic template for beauty from before the war (and no longer subject to copyright), she was given an education in spycraft, seduction, and combat training.

The first version the Federation encountered was optimized for social interaction and was easily dispatched by their security officer Rochelle Total.

Ju Li Mark II, a more recent model, was trained to be faster, stronger and more deadly. Initially serving as Samsung's bodyguard, she was eventually sent to obtain illegal gravitational weapons from a supplier on the edge of the Sol II system. There she encountered Rho Total again. Struck by an experimental singularity rifle, she barely had time to react before being crushed to the size of a pinprick.

• High Concept: Genetically Engineered Femme Fatale
• Trouble: Off the Shelf Education
• Other Aspects: Dangerous Beauty
• Skills: Athletics +5, Combat Training +4, Deceive +3
• Stress: 2 Physical/2 Mental [Mild consequence]
• Stunts: Miscues: +2 to creating an advantage using Deceive via body language or combat posture.

Sea

Helot 3859, as Sea was once called, appears to be a normal bland Helot model, not even differentiated by dress. Sea joined the Bioroid Liberation Movement after working at a toxic waste plant run by the Samsung Corporation. Claiming to be repulsed by the terrible working conditions, he advocated for a violent strike against their oppressors. His fiery zeal helped propel him to a leadership position within the movement, a counterpoint to the peaceful Sand.

Unknown to the movement, he was a plant by CEO Atsu Samsung-Exogenisis to draw the leadership out into the open where they could be destroyed. Thus Sea consistently advocated violent resistance and taking to the streets.

Fortunately for the cause of bioroid liberation, he was exposed by Federation agents. Once removed from his position, he attempted to assassinate one of them during a televised broadcast. Again he was discovered and died during a struggle with his former comrades.

• High Concept: Violent Revolutionary
• Trouble: Traitor to His Kind
• Other Aspects: Built in Expiration Date
• Skills: Deceive +4, Provoke +3, Rapport +2, Combat Training +1
• Stunts: Sweet Lies: use Deceive instead of Rapport to convince someone to do something by telling them what they want to hear.
• Stress: 2 Physical/2 Mental [Mild Consequence]

CEO Atsu Samsung-Exogenisis

The part of Samsung CEO will be played by master villian Christopher Walken

Once leader of the renegade Samsung-Exogenisis corporation, Atsu Samsung commanded vast resources both physical and technological. Though rumored to be immortal, the Federation discovered that his mind is an artificial intelligence implanted with the memories of the original CEO from before the war.

Once the dominant force in this sector of the galaxy, he was thwarted in his efforts to control security at the Hub and bought Steve’s bluff about the Federation's level interest. This made him only more dangerous however. He sent assassins and automated weapons to destroy them but failed each time. Defeated by the Federation at his base of operations, New Earth, his mind was hacked and his personality rewritten.

Now an advocate for bioroid freedom and equality he has closed down his factories and focused work on aiding the movement he once sought to crush.

• High Concept: Sinister Suit
• Trouble: Just a Copy
• Other Aspects: Army of Biological Androids, Always Selling Something, Thinking Two Steps Ahead
• Skills: Deceive +6, Provoke +6, Will +5, Rapport +5, Empathy +4, Computer +4, Combat Training +3, Culture +3, Linguistics +2, Investigate +2, Notice +1, Athletics +1
• Stunts: Nose for Trouble (Use Empathy to determine turn order assuming he is able to interact with his opponents socially first), Neural Interface (he possesses an implant allowing him to access networks wirelessly with his mind. Gain + 2 to Computer rolls to hack through high security systems), Mental Reprogramming (spend a Fate point and an action to use Computer instead of another skill for a scene)
• Stress: 2 Physical/4 Mental (2 Mild Consequences (one for mental), Moderate Consequence, Severe Consequence)

The Price Recap: Mirrors and Madness

Originally published May 9, 2014

Six years ago, I ran a two session game set in an asylum being consumed by a realm of thorns and monsters. Though there were casualties, most of the PCs escaped and the darkness was temporarily stopped. Five years ago, I ran my first Changeling: the Lost Chronicle, Into the Hedge, which starred an increasingly unstable Changeling known as Hedge. Set in the fictional upstate town of Rosebriar, New York, it also featured an asylum prominently in its epic conclusion.

Now the characters of the The Price are visiting Rosebriar seeking Hedge. They too must visit the asylum, to rescue their friend. As always a full index of the series can be found here.

Our cast:

• Marco McQueen: A Wizened Oracle who helps run McQueen Automotive with his father. Related to the Zerilli crime family, he works as an informant for the few honest cops in Detroit. He sent his long time girlfriend, Charlie Cobwebs, away from Rosebriar but she was captured instead.
• Miroslav "Mir" Callaghan: A Palewraith Darkling and member of the Guild of Shadows. He has uncovered a scheme that sealed away the True Fae from this world, one that is unraveling. He hopes to write the doom away with a magic quill. But first he needs the blood of a time traveler. Like Hedge.
• Nicole "Nikki" Callaghan: The cold Flowering Fairest with the gift of artistry, she has become a world-class art thief. She's repaired her life and wants to keep an eye out for her brother who she suspects might try to change it.
• Rocco McQueen: Levinquick Elemental who seeks to push the boundaries of where he can go both physically and in cyberspace. He recently founded a new guild, one for people like himself. He hopes a water fae known as Ruzena will help him manage it.

We pick up as the motley begin their investigation of Alice Ruby, a supposed True Fae masquerading as a college student, and Hedge, who may already be in town.

Mirrors and Madness

I ran this session the evening of Easter Sunday as we tried to navigate a scheduling minefield. Thus as is often the case people were late. In particular the player of Miroslav, who is supposed to be running the show for this session. In an effort to keep the story moving I decide that Alice only has afternoon classes so the group can do some unrelated detective work.

We start awarding experience fast with Nikki and Rocco raising Asset skills for their Professional Training Merits. Thus they each gain a Beat.

There is a healthy distrust in the motley. Nikki makes it clear that she will be watching Mir closely as he follows Alice.

The motley decides to find out if Hedge has visited Rosebriar yet while they wait for Alice Ruby's classes that evening. Rocco focuses on researching Pastor Albright's family, hoping Hedge might visit his mortal connections. Marco suggests canvassing the streets near the church but Nikki points out that Hedge has been living on the streets for decades. No one would mistake him for the pastor. She suggests they focus on the train tracks and other locations where the homeless might be found. Nikki creates a cover story of tracking down her father who is currently off his medication.

As a reminder Pastor Albright was Hedge's mortal identity. In this version of reality however he was never taken.

Nikki and Marco pool their efforts using teamwork to search the area. I have them roll Presence + Streetwise. Marco fails but Nikki gets 4 success after adding a bonus from her Striking Looks.

At a local diner, Marco and Nikki chat with a waitress who served Hedge a few days ago. She tells them he moved on to visit Appleton, a residential neighborhood to the west. They drive there, searching the parks and the few diners for any clue of Hedge's whereabouts.

Marco and Nikki roll Presence + Socialize in this more upscale neighborhood. Marco gives Nikki a +1 bonus from his roll and Nikki gets an Exceptional Success on her roll.

They run across a man in his 30's walking a pack of dogs. Fred, as he introduces himself, recalls the homeless man, in fact he reported him to the police. Hedge had been in the park recently, supposedly harassing young women passing through it. Fred seems taken in by Nikki's story and offers to help her find his lost father. He hasn't seen him today but the police might have picked him up.

I decide to place a Condition the person they talk to, since I can't come up with a Condition for Nikki to gain. The need for more conditions is the theme of tonight's game. He is swooning for the captivating young thief.

Nikki draws Glamour from his emotions, rolling Presence + Socialize. I give her two automatic successes as compensation and she gains 4 Glamour.

Nikki flirts for a few moments feeding from his mix of emotions before heading to the police station. There she and Marco discover that Fred has called ahead. The man at the front desk informs them that her "father", Hedge, was taken to Edgewood, the asylum, for psychiatric evaluation. He is in the care of a Dr. Edwards.

Miroslav and Nikki earn a Beat for their Aspirations of Finding Hedge.

Rocco meanwhile tracks down Ben Albright's daughter, Lucy, who lives in town. He learns of a granddaughter, Myra, as well but she's currently at college. Together with Ruzena, he stakes out her house, hoping to see Hedge.

Rocco rolls Intelligence + Stealth to remain hidden and fails.

Rocco and Ruzena position themselves on a city bench within viewing distance of the house. As he reads a newspaper, Rocco gets the feeling of being watched. Suddenly he hears a familiar but forgettable voice, the voice of the faceless man.

Rocco is targeted by Witch's Intuition (Fleeting Autumn 1). His greatest fear is read: "being immobilized again".

This voice, the voice of the Agent, mockingly says, "I know why you are here. If you want Hedge, destroy the protections on the park and church."

Rocco refuses and the Agent threatens to put him back in the chair. Rocco grabs Ruzena and they quickly leave. The Agent warns them that he won't have another offer.

In actual play, I jumped between the Rocco and Nikki's groups. I decided for the recap to keep it more cohesive. What works in game, does not in fiction.

Then Miroslav arrives! The group fills him in.

Rocco fills the others in on the Agent's threat once they regroup. With the knowledge that both Hedge and Charlie are currently in the clutches of Edgewood, Miroslav focuses on what can be learned from Alice Ruby.

Her schedule shows she has three classes today. Miroslav attends the first and third one while Nikki shadows him. Alice appears to be oblivious while she focuses on her studies and Miroslav doesn't even notice his sister.

Both Mir and Nikki roll Wits + Stealth to shadow Alice during the day. Both of them have 9 agains with Mir having a bonus in crowds. Mir beat out Alice's Wits + Composure roll while Nikki scores an Exceptional Success. I give her the Condition Anonymity with respect to the college. She just blends right in. She can resolve the Condition for a +2 bonus to Stealth when hiding or blending in with college students.

Miroslav then rolls Wits + Investigation to analyze her movements for anything supernatural and odd.

To Miroslav's occult eye, Alice seems to be a normal young woman. He does notice that she lacks any real friends and keeps separate from the others. But there are no signs of magic or magical restrictions. He decides to trail her home.

The two roll Wits + Stealth again (both Mir and Nikki have Specialties related to Darkness). Nikki invokes her condition and gains a Beat. Both surpass Alice's perception roll. My dice rolled quite poorly this game.

As evening approaches, Alice walked north from campus into Appleton. As the streetlights turned on one by one, they trailed her to a rundown Victorian home. Mir pauses as she slips inside.

Nikki reveals herself to her brother's surprise and asks about their next move.They decide to stake the house out, watching for anyone entering or leaving. Calling the others, they take turns during the night. It is fairly quiet. Some lights can be seen but there are no visitors or voices to be heard.

In the gray light of morning, Marco sips his coffee and watches the house. He sees the young blond woman leave the house. Marco alerts the others and then shadows her.

Marco rolls Wits + Stealth but fails to beat her Wits + Composure roll. I have him roll Wits + Empathy.

Marco follows the possible True Fae through the empty streets of Rosebriar. She studiously does not look in his direction and begins to zigzag through the streets. Marco realizes he is made. Unsure what to do he casts his gaze into the future attempting to learn the worst that could happen if he just talked to her.

Marco uses his Oracle power. Honestly at this point all of his choices are pretty equal. Nothing terrible would happen if he talked to her.

Marco sees that trailing her, talking to her, even trying to convince her that she's lost him all have the same level of danger: none. With nothing to lose he approaches Alice.

As she tries to walk away he calls out that he just wants to talk. He admits to following her and wants to ask her some questions. Alice tells him that she can't help him but at least stops walking away. She huffily explains she needs to go somewhere.

Marco rolls Presence + Socialize to make a good first impression. He also uses Cupid Eye (Fleeting Spring 1) to read her desire and beats her Composure + Wyrd (which is zero!!) roll. He learns she wants Lada Petrov to stop following her.

Marco offers to help get Lada off Alice's back. He reveals he is working for the professor but that he is willing to help her instead. He also lets on that he knows about Hedge and the weirdness in town. That's why he needs her help.

Marco rolls Manipulation + Empathy to convince her to open up.

Alice seems surprise that he knows about Hedge. That's who she was hoping to see. Marco tells her what happened to him. She explains she needs to remake a deal with the mad Changeling, that she didn't get what she wanted. But if he is at the asylum, he may already be doomed.

Alice explains that things changed about 3 years ago, that a darkness in Edgewood is consuming the town, beginning with the fae. She can't stop it. Anyone who goes there comes back changed or not at all.

Back at Alice's house, Nikki and Mir have slipped inside unnoticed. Her security system is little more than a can on a string. Outside Rocco gets a phone call from brother. Marco tells him that Alice is willing to help them and that she isn't dangerous. Rocco directs his brother to take Alice to get coffee and wait for them. They'll be there within an hour.

Inside the Callaghans find Alice's hideout, a cluttered room filled with band posters, old toys, and clothes decades out of style. None of it has the least bit of supernatural power.

The two do a teamwork Wits + Investigation roll to learn something. Nikki gives Miroslav a +3 bonus.

The picture her effects paint is of a woman trying to be normal. Not trying to act normal, Nikki clarifies, she knows the difference. Alice really wants to be a normal person.

The pair exit and reconvene with Rocco. When she hears what Marco has done, Nikki questions if he has perhaps been Glamoured. They decide to investigate cautiously.

I decided to award 2 roleplaying Beats here, one for a joke which sadly I neglected to write down.

The motley meets Marco at the coffee shop. They find him still of his own mind. Nervously they talk to Alice. The once True Fae reveals how her deal with Hedge went wrong. How she sought to become human again but found herself continually reverting to her teenage self instead, never able to die.

Under their probing questions she reveals her history. In the first version of reality, she was born a normal mortal. To stop a drought she was given or sacrificed to the True Fae. She was taken to Arcadia and over the centuries transformed from a Changeling to one of the Gentry.

Then there was gala, a gathering of True Fae. A social faux pas was made, she explains. A large number of slaves escaped in the confusion. For her part in it, she was exiled by the Slender Man. She traveled home to Rosebriar and encountered those slaves again. They killed her.

But Hedge and his companions did not end her existence. She arose again as a mostly mortal being. She decided to give up her power and made a deal with Hedge. He would rewrite reality and she would become mortal. But it didn't work out.

In the second version of reality, she lived as a seemingly normal woman but she always aged back to her teenage self once a decade. Her family and friends died but she kept on. Hedge's friends and family were protected from any harm but Hedge himself was replaced by a new version of himself.

Now she just wants to find Hedge. He should return to make the deal as in the original version of reality. He wants his life back and she wants to grow old and die.

Nikki gains a Beat for her Aspiration of "learning the weakness of a True Fae", in other words Alice's desire to be mortal. Mir also earns a Beat for learning Alice's secrets.

Talk turns to other version of reality which only confuses Alice. Miroslav questions her about her encounters with his father, something that greatly intrigues the former fae. It hints that he has a special destiny. Then Nikki asks what she can do to help rescue Hedge and Charlie. After stammering for a moment, she tells them that she knows about tunnels into the asylum, forgotten by the current inhabitants. They can use them to get in unnoticed.

The motley gets their preparations underway. They load their guns with cold iron bullets, gather tools to break in with, and obtain the floor plans of the asylum. Nikki locates Dr. Edward's office and the place where the tunnels intersect the building. Marco also realizes that his vision of the mirror had it in a building with white walls, like a hospital or asylum.

Marco earns a beat for his Aspiration to learn more about his vision.

Nikki crafts a plan with an Intelligence + Larceny roll.

Rocco attempts to hack into the Edgewood computers but runs into some stiff resistance. Before he can really get anywhere he is booted off. As he considers his options, a pop up from his virtual self comes up. He offers to help but Rocco turns him down.

Sucks to be you, the pop-up says before disappearing.

Rocco rolls an extended contest of Intelligence + Computers + Hacking vs. a pool of 8, representing the Agent's security. In the first roll they both start out strong, each getting 5 successes. but Rocco fails on the second roll while the Agent meets his goal.

Rocco slams his laptop shut and tells Ruzena they are leaving. Exiting the coffee shop they hurry back to the motel. Worried that something might be coming for them, he is surprised when Ruzena pushes him forward on the asphalt street.

Then a truck crashes into someone behind him.

Rocco rolls Wits + Composure but fails to get enough successes. I decide to invoke Ruzena's Destiny (a hero's fate). Rocco is saved but Ruzena is struck instead. I roll all of the dice in front of me. She takes 7 Lethal.

Rocco scrambles to his feet and finds Ruzena thrown forward into the intersection. He rushes over and tries to stabilize her. The river fae is bleeding with cracked ribs and a collapsed lung. Desperately Rocco pulls out his first aid kit and does what he can.

Rocco rolls Dexterity + Medicine + 3 for Willpower. He succeeds.

By the time ambulance arrives, Rocco is sure she will pull through. The medics take her away while Rocco picks up his batted laptop and activates a long worked on piece of code. Keying the virus to his other self, he releases it into the local network.

Rocco has been messaging me about this off and on for a few months. So I just let him roll Intelligence + Computers to see how well it works. He gets 2 successes which will degrade alternate Rocco's actions with a -2 penalty.

The motley sneaks unto the Edgewood grounds that night. Alice leads them to an overgrown grate that hides the tunnels under the building. They break in and feel their way through the damp stone pathways. Slick mud covers the floor of the tunnels and a musk of decay fills the air.

After several hundred feet the path ascends and widens. The air grows chill and foul. They each realize something horrible happened in this spot. Nikki shines a flashlight on the ground to find it stained back. Miroslav and Rocco both realize only one thing could cause this: the final death of a True Fae.

Everyone rolls Clarity. Mir and Rocco get exceptional successes so gain some extra detail. In my earlier Changeling Chronicle, this was where they murdered the Slender Man using a potent artifact.

I give Miroslav a Condition called Scent of the Wyrd. He can invoke it gain a one time +2 bonus to detecting or finding an artifact. Rocco gains Steadfast since the fact that even True Fae are temporary reinforces his beliefs.

They press on, eventually encountering the section of ceiling that strikes the Asylum subbasements. Nikki quietly breaks through the floor with a saw and crowbars. The group climbs out into a supply closet.

Nikki rolls Strength + Stealth + 3 for Willpower.

Next everyone rolls Dexterity + Stealth as they sneak through the asylum. Mir fails.

They find the area filled with medical supplies ranging from old boxes of syringes to piles of discarded clothing. As they creep down the hall to the stairs, Mir collides with some crates. They jostle softly but don't fall.

The next room is dimly lit by a single swaying bulb. A metal operating table gleams in the center next to an electroshock machine and a table full of scalpels.

Everyone including Alice and Mr. Skittles, Nikki's dog, rolls Wits + Composure. Mir fails but everyone else beats the enemies' stealth roll. Nikki in fact gets an Exceptional Success. I give her the Condition Ultra-Alert which can be resolved to gain a +5 bonus to Initiative. She promptly does so.

Initiative order turns out to be Marco at 15, Rocco at 14, Nikki at 13, Mr. Skittles 10, Alice 8, and the Unclean hiding in the corners get 7. Miroslav goes last and misses this round.

As they enter the room, they realize there is a figure lurking in each dimly lit corner. Dressed in hospital gowns and sporting bandages and straitjackets they rush the motley.

Marco pulls out his taser and fires. Two metal prongs lodge in one of the Unclean's chest and 10,000 volts rush through its body.

Marco rolls Dexterity + Firearms -2 for range. He hits and inflicts a -2 penalty to its actions.

An arc of electricity flies from the machinery into Rocco, protecting him in cascading lightning. Nikki seeing her brother is distracted positions herself to defend him.

Rocco invoked his Elemental Contract while Nikki Dodges.

Alice rushes forward with her staff and cracks it over the head of one of the Unclean. It topples over in pain and begins to scurry for safety.

She inflicts 3 Lethal rolling Strength + Weaponry + Staff specialty. Mr. Skittles delays.

The Unclean shot by Marco tries to pull the prongs out feebly. The electricity overwhelms it and it collapses to the ground. The other two rush Nikki and her brother.

The Unclean fails a Strength + Stamina roll with the -2 penalty. Next turn it will take enough of a penalty to overwhelm it.

Mr. Skittles rushes forward to defend Nikki, leaping up and biting the arm of one of them. As it howls in pain, the other rushes Nikki. She deftly steps aside leaving it off-balance.

Mr. Skittles rolls Strength + Weaponry + 3 for Willpower to deal 1 Lethal. Nikki gets 6 successes on her dodge roll which beats the Unclean's attack by 5. We inflict the Off Balance Tilt. He has 1/2 defense.

As Marco secures his opponent, Rocco and Mr. Skittles attack and defeat the last standing opponent. The wounded Unclean scurry away to safety.

Next round Rocco misses, Mr. Skittles hits. With all of the enemy having Lethal damage or unconscious, the fight ends.

As they catch their breath, they realize they have to hurry. An alarm may be raised any moment.

Experience time! Nikki got 5 Beats from 2 Aspirations, an Asset Skill raise, and 2 Conditions. Rocco also got a Beat from raising an Asset Skill. Miroslav got two Beats for Aspirations. Marco also gained a Beat for an Aspiration.

That averages out to 2 Beats. Add 2 more for Roleplaying and 1 for the session gives 1 Experience.

Review of Hunter: Mortal Remains

Originally published May 7, 2014

Last week, Hunter: Mortal Remains was released. This eagerly awaited title covers the various supernatural monster types not already dealt with by the Hunter line. Previously we had vampires were covered by Night Stalkers, werewolves by Spirit Slayers, and mages by Witch Finders. This book covers Prometheans, Changelings, Geists, Mummies, and Demons as well as providing a limited rules update for the God-Machine Chronicle rules.

Overview

Each monster receives their own chapter following the rough layout shown in earlier books. Each chapter begins by describing the monster's abilities, its background and its relationship to hunters. Then the creature's mechanics are provided, simplified for use in Hunter: the Vigil. Then we are given the viewpoint of each Conspiracy and Compact on the monsters. In previous books this has been one of my least favorite sections but the presentation in this book did not feel so drawn out. Many of the Conspiracies are provided new Endowments as well. Then we are given a few "Wandering Monsters", sample antagonists for the Hunters to encounter, as well as a series of story hooks that can be customized by tier. Lastly each chapter ends with a set of books and movies to use for inspiration.

The Monsters

Chapter 1 details Prometheans from the perspective of Hunters. Since Promethean: the Created is my favorite limited line next to Demon: the Descent, this was my favorite chapter. It was nice to see some new material for the line, even in passing, after all of these years. The chapter is full of useful crunch including 6 new Endowments, 3 sample monsters, and a Condition to handle Disquiet. The viewpoints of the Hunter groups do a good job of demonstrating the conflicted nature of hunting a monster who just wants to be human. I found the material inspiring and useful, even the nicknames for the different lineages had some nice gems I intend to use in my next Hunter game.

Chapter 2 deals with Changeling: the Lost as well as True Fae, Fetches, and Hobgoblins. The majority of the material however focuses on the most visible and vulnerable, the changelings themselves. This chapter is also quite well written and also plays up the ambiguity of hunting a monster that is essentially a victim. Like the previous chapter we get 6 new Endowments and 3 sample monsters (including one ancient and powerful member who would make a nice urban legend). My enthusiasm was dampened mainly by the fact that I've been playing and running Changeling for a year now and I'm feeling a need for a change. The material itself was excellent.

Chapter 3 describes the Fogmen, Hunter's nickname for Sineaters from Geist. This section is fairly weak on crunch and history, but the modern-day fluff provides interesting ideas and points out how Hunters and Sineaters can and do work together against hostile ghosts. We get only one sample monster and no new endowments however. It may be the shortest of the limited lines, but I would have like some more example characters at least.

Mummy: the Curse gets discussed in Chapter 4. As one of the most recent lines, the material for these ancient horrors is ironically much fresher than the previous chapter. In addition to the normal overview, we get a sample monster, a new compact and a new conspiracy. The compact, the Habibti Ma, deals with saving people from cults. It is not as action oriented as other groups but would make an interesting allied group in a Hunter Chronicle dealing with Mummies or their cults. They come off as more of a help group than a monster (or cult) fighting organization. The Faithful of Shulpae are a conspiracy devoted to the idea of getting closer to divinity by eating their flesh. Thus they are not very player character friendly (unless they like playing Ashwood Abbey types) but do make a good if creepy antagonist group to use against Mummies. Overall I liked the chapter.

Chapter 5 deals with the most recent addition to World of Darkness, Demon: the Descent. This section includes not just the demons of that game but some of the ideas from World of Darkness: Inferno as well as "Institutional Demons", demons that embody companies and structures, in other words Infrastructure of the God-Machine. The ideas here are excellent and I really look forward to using the ideas within the Institutional Demon section. We get 3 new Endowments for the old Conspiracies as well as a new Compact and Conspiracy. There are no sample monsters however. The Compact, Utopia Now, is a group using parts of the God-Machine (and possibly demons) to build the world of tomorrow. They would be a good fit for a God-Machine Chronicle, Demon, or even Promethean. The Knights of Saint Adrian is our new Conspiracy, a bounty hunter company working for Angels. With a new endowment that uses magical tattoos to expose and defeat demons, they seem fairly interesting, if unsuited to where I'm planning on going for my Hunter and Demon games.

Then we reach the Appendix. Here we get a massive load of new Dread Powers, updates for the old powers to interact with God-Machine rules update, and advice on building monsters. There is plenty of great material here and between the monster material and the Rules Update (below), this is probably the strongest section of the book.

Rules Update

Finally we get a rules update for Hunter: the Vigil. Note that this is not a Chronicle book like Blood and Smoke. There are no major changes here, that will have to wait until another day.

What we do get are tweaks to existing merits, practical experience, risking willpower, and the benefits of status in a Compact or conspiracies. Several Endowments also get revised. Overall there isn't much to change and the material might seem underwhelming. I would have liked update to Tactics in general or some new Tactics as well as thoughts on how to incorporate Tells into Integrity system.
Conclusion

All in all the book is great. We get a nice view of how hunters view the various monster lines, great advice on creating their adversaries and tools for doing so, and a number of ideas for stories. We also get a little system update to tide us over until Hunter can get its own Chronicle book.

If you are planning on running a Hunter: the Vigil game or the God-Machine Chronicle, I would recommend taking a look at this. For those of you running Demon: the Descent or Mummy: the Curse, you might find some handy antagonists here. And those of you who miss Promethean: the Created like me might enjoy seeing something written about them.