Interlude: Reporting to Osanna

[Freemage]

With SnackHappy declaring the final disposition of the Bleak Tome, it is time for the Jokers to depart back to Castle Refuge. Fox, of course, has his orders to remain behind as the official Legion representative to Hochatown. His few possessions left back at the Castle are apparently already on their way here.

The rest of the group packs up and gets on the road. It should have been a relatively uneventful journey... Should have been. Sadly, things didn't quite go as planned....

OOC Comments

Okay, we're doing something a little different for this session's interludes. You guys are getting to tell a story. Each of you makes one post, in the order listed below. Your job is to add details as indicated. Tell it in-character, as if you're giving an after-action report to Ossana Wilde.

Echo: 2H
Trouble: Something really bad happens. Your group is ambushed by enemies, stalked by a monster, or loses their way (and a significant amount of time). Describe the subsequent battle, relating the events to something in your own past.

Henry: 3H
Obstacle: An extremely diffcult obstacle bars your way. Describe the obstacle in some detail, then explain how the Jokers managed to negotiate it.

Chok'lat: 5S
Injury: You suffer a grievous injury of some sort. Explain how it happened, working in something about
your character’s backstory as you do so.

SnackHappy: 10D
Wonder: Somewhere along the way is a glorious vista, ancient wonder, sun-dappled forest, or other thing of beauty. Describe it in character and add a personal anecdote of how it affected your character, specifically.

Calyx: QC
Memento: You fnd a trinket or item of some sort on your trip that reminds you of something in your past. During a quiet moment, you relate that tale to your companions. You may also keep the memento if you like. (The Memento has no innate powers, but once per Session, can be used to alleviate a level of Fatigue.)

Herra: KH
Boon: You and your companions find something of significant value. Describe the scene,including what it is, how you found it, and any guardians or obstacles that had to be defeated to obtain it. Work in a significant role for everyone. The boon should be something of significant worth, but not a game breaker. In this adventure, it might be a modest weapon stash, a credstick cache, or even a Contact for the group. (While Herra is the one telling this part, everyone will get access to the Boon; just describe it in general terms, and I'll iron out the precise details.)

Growler: AD
Treasure: You find a significant treasure of some sort, such as some really powerful weapons, a large supply of goods that could be sold for a major windfall, a cache of TW gear, a functioning military vehicle, or even a group of helpful Extras who want to join you. Your treasure might also be something personal—like a lost loved one. Narrate how and where you found this treasure and any hazards that had to be negotiated to obtain it. Work in a role for all the player characters in your tale. (While Growler is telling this part of the tale, everyone gets a share of the loot. As with the Boon, you decide the classification of treasure, and I'll iron out the details.)

Once the full tale is told, you all get one XP, and I'll add details on what loot you acquired. There's no huge rush; my goal is for this story to be told over the course of the session, hopefully ending sometime before the new year. So you each get a week, easily, with some room for RL interference.

[Echo]

The smoke in the room did not bother Echo. She knew the old soldier needed to smoke, but the memories from their journey did. Having finished up the debriefing of Hokatown Echo had moved on to the strange return journey. "As we where leaving the town we were a little worried. Even with the book secured the evil coming from it was a temptation to everyone and everything near."

"We had picked up some ride alongs, spirits that where trapped in the coffin we destroyed, but some of them where starting to affect us. So I was trying to spend as much time scouting as possible. I did not like the idea of being to heavily influenced, until we knew more."

Drawing shapes and images in the air with the smoke Echo continued. "I was just getting back from a scouting trip as we were settling down on the first night away from town when I noticed the ground around the ATV was off a little. It was like there was a 40' circle radiating from the cab of the ATV and every plant an insect near it had shriveled up and died. The dry dead looking vines began slowly wrapping around the axle of the ATV tires. So I flew down and landed next to Herra who was on duty and sitting on top of the ATV. I asked her 'You see that, the plants are trying to hold us here for something.' But Herra shook her head no, turns out the change was so slow and gradual that it drew no attention at all from those of us close to it."

"I tried to burn away the vines, but somehow they were like bones and unaffected by the fire I could conjure. Jumping down Herra was able to cut them free with her mind sword. But that got the rest of us on edge. From there it was little thinks, the hydraulics on a door hatch breaking and letting the door flop open, a computer would just go out, or other stuff. The second day on the way back we only made 6 miles because we kept having to stop."

"Then around midnight I saw it. I was flying around again when I noticed a ghostly apparition around the front of the ATV, it looked like it was both there and not there, and when I pointed it out to the others only Henry was able to get a glimpse before it disappeared into the book. After that we decided the book needed more warding and better protection."

"We moved it into Sasha, she was better designed to resist attacks and had less people at risk." Dissipating the cloudy images she was making in the air Echo finishes. "But that was just how the return started. From there it got weird."

[Henry_Price]

Henry comes into the briefing room, munching on a handful of peanuts. Once he's done chewing and swallowing, he looks to Osanna. "I don't know how much Echo told you about it all..."

It was half a mile or so out of town before Henry saw the first dead kid. A little girl, standing at the side of the trail. Henry knew she was dead because he could see right through her, but he still thought about stopping. The only reason he didn't was that he saw what remained of her face. the fire... He kept goosing the battle bike, trying to get home as fast as he could but it seemed that the further he got from town the more dead people started to accumulate. He dared a look back and saw that they were following him. A quick glance to his passengers let him know that he was the only one who could see them, and he wished Echo were nearby so he could ask her if she saw them too. the book... the must know about the book and what it can do... That night when they set up camp for the night, the dead caught up with them. Echo could see them too and she even tried to communicate with them. No such luck as all they did was stare at Henry and Echo, their vacant eyes, their melted faces... it was horrible. Henry finally couldn't bear it anymore and tried to find a wash into Sasha when Snack Happy intervened. He firmly let Henry know that there was no blanking way anyone was getting that bleeping book while he was still alive.


He frowns. "It was horrible, even worse than being in the cocoon in the Xicticix layer. I don't know how you would even go about it, but that book needs to be destroyed. I don't know what's worse, the evil that it contains, or the hope that you can bring them back. That's not even the whole thing, because what happened next was equally strange...'

[Chok'lat]

Chok'lat looks down at his shattered cyber-arm. "You shoulda' seen it. Was just like them big trees that ate people in the forest where these guys killed all Cray Cray's people and captured Chok'lat. Bird man was actin' crazy, babblin' about ghost kids or somethin'." Chok'lat surreptitiously nods Henry's way as he plays at some of the wires which normally run beneath the titanium plated skin of the arm. "We stopped 'cause they were all tired. Well, Chok'lat pulled watch 'cause Chok'lat's the best watcher. The lady who hates me was walking all 'round the camp. Talking to the moon or something."

The demon shrugs and takes a drink. "Normally, brodkil on watch get ambushed, we just let 'em die. They don't watch, we don't watch 'em. That's old Chok'lat though. New Chok'lat didn't recognize the trees; they're different. But they eat the same way. So Chok'lat sees one of them trees bending down to snatch up Herra. Chok'lat was eating peanuts and had one in his throat so he couldn't yell. So Chok'lat just had to run to save her. Chok'lat dove and knocked her out of the way." He smiles his most earnest smile...which is still a demon's smile, no matter how redeemed he might be. "She was mad at Chok'lat...until she saw the thing crunched down on Chok'lat's arm. Big nasty thing ruined Chok'lat's arm, but Chok'lat hit the thing with 3 more arms. It let go and then we all got out of there." He snorts, having apparently run out of breath from talking so much. "Bird man said it was them ghost kids that got in the trees. Chok'lat thinks it was just the trees like them other ones."

He looks down at his arm. "Chok'lat...'s gonna get this fixed, right? Maybe Chok'lat go now while Happy talks 'bout that place he found? He was even Happier after that."

[SnackHappy]

"Chok'lat is right I did become much happier after having the book for a while. I got to spend time with my Sasha again not the gunwolf. I forgot her beauty. She was everything to me before the Legion. Somehow after storing the book inside of Sasha it was like she was back with me again. We hung out in the cockpit of the gunwolf. The two of us chatting about the good old days. We listened to music. It was both wondrous and confusing. I did not understand how she was there with me again. It is hard for me to give up the book. I don't think the others fully understand all they see is the evil it supposedly has brought about. I didn't notice much from our journey back. I was lost in a better place with her, her scent, and the love we had. She told me its better this way getting rid of the book. She said we are doing good work here and I believe it." Finishing his story he wiped a tear from his eye.

[Calyx]

Calyx sat in the one of the chairs in the briefing room, leaning back far enough to have his booted feet plopped up on the table. As he listened to the others talking, 'giving their reports', he idly played with a 'coin', a form of ancient outdated currency. Unlike most of its kind, the coin had a face on both sides, but one of them had an X scratched through it. He slid it in-between his fingers and along his knuckles as he listened.

He rolled his eyes as the others gave their 'ghost story' of a report to Ossana. He shook his head after Happy finished talking. "I dunno about all THAT. I didn't see no ghosts." A smile twitched his lips. "Would'a liked to, actually. My big brother Cad loved the idea o'ghosts - loved ghost stories, even the really scary an' gross ones. Used t'trade whatever he could for horror vids. Loved 'em, even the really terrible ones."

He paused, looking at the coin a moment before going on. "He also loved a good tragedy, true or not. He heard this story 'bout this guy, real good guy, stand up guy, looked out for those who couldn't for themselves, yanno? But then the guy lost everything - his fiancee, his job, his good looks. Guy went insane. Had a coin, like this one, would flip it t'make decisions." He looked at Ossana and showed her both sides of the coin, one after the other. "Heads we do this, bad heads we do the opposite." He shook his head again.

Then he shrugged. "Anyway. Found this layin' on me when I woke up the mornin' after Chok'lat said the trees were attackin'." His tone left little doubt whether he doubted that story or not - but immediately his tone changed, became more thoughtful, maybe a tad sad, longing. "Nice t'think my brother was watchin' over me, lettin' me know he was around." He suddenly straightened up and dropped his feet to the ground. "Then again, thought o'him bein' trapped in-between life an' death's horrifyin', so I hope not."

He cleared his throat. "Sorry. 'Nough reminiscin'. So we kept movin', tryin' t'avoid the...ghosts or whatever. But I agree - an' for ME this is REALLY sayin' somethin' cause I LOVE t'read an' books are AWESOME - but I think this book should be fuckin' burned. It's not good. An' it would help people who read it do bad things. The end." He pocketed the coin.

[Echo]

Echo watching Calyx flipping the small flat circular stone he had been carrying with him since the night of the first attack. Again claiming it was a coin of some sort. She wonders if his sanity is slipping or if maybe the ghost was able to permanently implant the suggestion of a 'coin' in his mind. Even worse if the ghost had the power to permanently implant suggestions in our minds, how have the rest of us been affected?

[Peta Chante]

Unwavering in her confidence, Herra nods agreement. "There were certainly many spirits present, I could sense them - and the book - for our entire journey back. However, not all of the spirits have evil intent. Some are trapped on this world due to unfinished business or unnatural constraint. I have the impression that many of the ghosts we encountered were bound against their will."

She pauses a moment to recall some specific incident, "Of course, my impressions were correct. One evening I was able to make mental contact with one of the spirits. A child, like Henry had seen. She was bound to this world by the book, but knew of a place of power nearby which could release her and others. Knowing we needed to do the right thing we detoured to a nearby nexus point. A stone table set atop a small hill. The table had grooves set in it to collect liquid and dried blood was caked onto the slab." Shivering unconsciously at the memory, Herra continues. "The spirit said this is where many of them had been sacrificed to fuel rituals from the book. Destroying the table would free them."

Looking to each person in the room she nodded, "The table seemed unassailable. Sasha's or Chok'lat's strength could not break it. Henry or Echos magics could not pierce it. Calyx's lightning had no effect. Even my sword could not scratch it." Herra looked particularly ashamed that she failed, "As we tried, a dark cloud of smoke pour forth from the table. We had awoken a guardian, a great demon of ancient power. I could sense its malevolence with my mind. It was palpable. The demon began to collect the spirits who were with us...drawing them into perpetual torment!"

"With ferocity we slew the demon, but not without great struggle. The demon left behind a great sword, on Chok'lat could wield it without burning. No doubt a testament to his own demonic nature. With the sword he split the table in half, releasing a pillar of mystical energy and drawing many of the spirits to a final rest."

"Before departing to its final rest, the spirit who lead us to the table alighted upon each of our heads. Granting us a gift of valour and courage."

Boon

+2 to Fear tests

[Growler]

"Pack Master Osanna, after we left the Spirits that Pack Member Herra mentioned, we had four days where we saw nothing of note. On the fifth day, just 3 days back from the Castle, however, in the early afternoon we came across a large non-magical military transport vehicle of unknown origin. We approached it carefully, with Pack Members Echo and Henry helping me survey it and looking for the owners. There seemed to be the traces of some magic in the area, but there was no traces of anyone. The vehicle seemed powered down, and there was no response when we finally visibly approached, there was no response. When we walked up to the doors, they opened... it wasn't even locked or otherwise secured. The smell of magic was stronger inside, but the most notable thing was the TOTAL lack of life inside. There wasn't even any insect pests until we opened the door to let ourselves in. We spent just over a day searching the area, but could not even find a physical nor electronic trace of where the owners had went. We went in and checked their computers and also found them unsecured. While their was no electronic log left with any visual or audio recordings of its owners, the last time the entrance was used was over a week previous. That combined with the lack of any indications of the owners being alive and in the area, Pack Leader Snackhappy decided it was an abandoned vehicle and that its former owners had met some sort of unknown magical mishap that either killed them or removed them from the area. We then started up the vehicle and made our way with it back to the Castle."

[Freemage]

Ossana calls the group in for a meeting a short time later.

"Alright, people. This trip you had back sounds pretty harrowing, but you did good work. We've got that APC you found in the garage; soon as it's been fully looked over and all the systems repaired, it'll probably become the official team vehicle. Thing is, the guys say we need a specialist--there's apparently some sorta alien tech built in, so we gotta get someone who thinks in terms of half-dimensions, or something like that." She puffs the cigar, shaking her head a bit.

"Anyway, we're taking your advice on the Tome. That is one nasty piece of work. Did some initial tests--plasma, fusion blocks, that kinda thing. I think all they did was clean off some of the blood. So it's going to get assigned to specialists to deal with. In the meantime, don't mention that thing to anyone else--if word about it gets out, we'll have artifact-hunters and dark mages up to our eyeballs trying to get ahold of it. I hear that witch Victoria Geist keeps popping up out in the field, for one thing--you know, the nutjob from Gloom? Anyway, if she got word about this, pretty sure we'd be up to our eyeballs in undead Juicers trying to get it." She leans back for a moment, drinking a whiskey.

"In the meantime, I've seen to it that you've been given a little something extra in your paycheck as a bonus. Good work, folks. Enjoy your R&R while it lasts. Dismissed."

Final Take

Okay, so here's what you get out of this:

Calyx gets the coin--once per session/quarter, he can recover one level of Fatigue as an action by pulling it out and looking at it.

Everyone gets:
Spirit's Boon: When faced with horrors of the worlds beyond, you can feel a beneficial presence wash over you, fortifying you against the instinctive terror of the unnatural. You gain a +2 bonus to all Fear Checks; this stacks with the Brave Edge. If you are innately Fearless, then when a Fear check is called for, the presence acts to bolster your resolve in a more subtle fashion--roll a d10 (no Wild Die), which can Ace as normal, and treat it as a Support roll for your next action, which must be taken either the round you were faced with the Fear check, or the one immediately following. (So for every Success and Raise on this roll, you get a +1 to your action's roll, up to a maximum of +4.)

The Crawler:
I'm still working up the stats on this, but it's basically a SuperTech vehicle, so it will have some functions derived from the SPC. It came out pretty slow (Top Speed is only slightly faster than Sasha), but I think you guys will enjoy it. Trying to decide between a few possible options.

Pay Bonus: 25K Cr.

XP Bonus: Everyone can add 1 XP to their sheet immediately; if this pushes you to the next Advance, then take it.