GM: Sean Nittner
Players: Eric Fattig, Adrienne Mueller, and Karen Twelves
System: Blades ’68
We picked up where we left off last session.
Nav was standing over the unconscious body of Castelle Fane in her 50th floor penthouse glass globe office. The phone receiver dropped to the floor. A gruff voice on the other end asking “Castelle? Castelle, are you there?” [1 of 4 ticks on the alert clock]
Delta and Paolo on the 44th floor, where Kassius works, causing one hell of a distraction. The Ironclad Protection agents were fully ironed up as Delta leaked “noxious fumes”. An engineer with a fire extinguisher was spraying like mad. In the resonance field, Rubens could see the spirt Rorick rolling up his sleeves.
The Play is the Thing
Nav went about searching Castelle’s office and while she didn’t find any leatherbound books or otherwise occult looking materials, she couldn’t help but notice files on the Xantha Pharmaceuticals and other documents that surely should have been filed under “C” for Crime.
Eventually she found two things. A secret door leading to a walk in closet (where she left Castle tied to a chair with scarves) and a silver chain with a heavy iron key around Castelle’s neck. Nav didn’t know where the key led, but from her time in Rowan House (which has always been there), she had a sense in might be in the catacombs of Comber House. Worth a shot.
Down below Paolo was convincing the Ironclad that Delta was malfunctioning badly. Rorick, who wasn’t listening to any of Ruben’s wound up and punched Ruben right out of his chassis…or would have if Rubens/Delta didn’t initiate a full reboot that did in fact make him malfunction [Resolve resist the resonance dislocation causing a Deadlock of the Key Sentimental to Gushing]. With some help from the engineer and both Ironclad, Paolo was able to carry delta to the elevator. When the pressed the button to descend however, the elevator was locked. One mentioned “Huh, wonder if it’s drill” and swiped his cardkey to override the lock and start descending.
Nav peeked out of Castelle’s office to see her receptionist on the phone. As he talked he became increasingly alarmed. “No sir, I haven’t heard anything from Ms. Fane. I’ll go take a look.” Nav ducked back into the office and hid near the door. When the receptionist came, she slipped out behind him and acted casual. As she slipped away she heard the receptionist pick up the phone “Sir, I don’t see her…”
Nav heard from a mail clerk dropping off files that the elevators were locked and she’d need a security office or a floor manager to take them. Otherwise it’s a long walk down. Nav too the stairs down to the 49th floor and called the elevator, thankfully she remembered to take Castelle’s key card as well [1 stress flashback]. When she got in, however, it all seemed different. The elevator was much smaller than she remembered. The mirrored walls now red velvet. Instead of buttons there was just a brass toggle to go up or down. There was also a keyhole that seemed to match the key she too from Castelle. She entered it, and twisted. The elevator started going down, slowly and with many jerks and hiccups along the way. Start of the art technology 100 years ago.
On their way down Rorick was still harrying Rubens. He explained it wasn’t that he didn’t like him, he just had a job to do. Rubens bought some time trying to explain that they were leading and meant no harm, but all of this was just to open Delta’s ultraplasm ventilation and spray a prismatic gout of irradiated plasmic energy into Rorick, knocking him out of the elevator, and amazing not causing more harm to any of the living other than appearing to be malfunctioning EVER MORE! Several curses were made by the Ironclad escorting them. [Success on a Desperate/Standard Wrench]
Paolo and Delta’s elevator stopped and Horriston, the man who raided their base (but didn’t see either of them) stepped on. He gave Paolo a hard look, but not one of recognition. “So you’re the one with the malfunctioning Hull? Let’s get you and your unit to a safe place.” He pressed a button for the parking garage below the building. There would be plenty of fresh air to abate the noxious fumes there, and nobody nearby that would be accidentally hurt.
On the way down the receptionist radioed to Horriston, “I found Ms. Fane, she was tied up in her closet.” Or that’s what would have come across if Delta hadn’t flooded the radio channels with static [Insight Resistance]. Horriston’s ear piece squealed painfully and he pulled it out after only hearing “I found Ms. Fane…” He turned to Paolo and gave another hard look “Technology, you can’t rely on it.”
Nav’s elevator kept carrying her down, and down. It was hard to keep track of time, it seemed to go forever.
When Delta and Paolo got to the lobby, they tried to walk out casually, but they had to go past Horriston and the Ironclad, who weren’t having any of it. The were grabbed and thrown violently back inside the elevator [1-3 result on a Desperate/Standard Prowl, both took Level 1 harm which didn’t affect Delta (armor) and Paolo resisted. I filled the alarm clock, and their access to the lobby was cut off.]
Nav’s elevator opened to a giant manor home. She saw a large foyer with spiraling staircases, heard the sounds of a ball and people dancing. But all of that was a backdrop for the figure of Horriston holding a gun to Paolo’s head saying “Ms. Siketset, please some with me.”
Nav tried to figure out what was happening. Was this some kind of illusion or trick? Paolo seemed to be himself, but it did make sense. “What was the color of the scarf that you lost to Sgt. Vran in our chase on the candle street bridge?” Paolo remembered that adventure well and said it was orange, but she knew it was paisley. Something wasn’t right. She fired another tranq dart but it went right through Horriston as though he was a ghost. It did distract him enough though that Paolo fought to break free, and she ran away. As she turned a corner she heard him call “You have to keep Kassius safe!” Oh no, this Paolo was in love with Kassius too!
In the parking garage, Paolo and Delta were about to be anything but safe. Horriston didn’t know what was going on but he was going to beat the hell out of both of them and then start trying to find out. The tossed Paolo onto the hard pavement and one of the Ironclad extended a metal baton and started making his way start the beating. The baton triggered a memory form Delta of his time in Ironhook. He raced in front of Paolo and activated the self-destruct mechanism that they hoped would expel his core in a violent blast outward and not destroy him [Desperate/Great Skirmish, Devils Bargain Level 3 Harm: Fractured Core. Mixed result.] The Ironclad were melted inside their suits which dropped lifelesssly to the ground, but Horriston who was behind them ducked back into the elevator for safely. Delta was also horribly drained by the processes [Level 3 Harm, resisted down to Level 1: Drained].
Nav ran through a drawing room where a confused pianist gave her directions to the library, Horriston just behind her. She went through a portrait gallery filled with portraits of stern women, one of them Castelle Fane, the others bearing her likeness. As she moved Nav noticed her clothes seemed more and more dated. She wore a cravat that as even more gaudy that one of Paolo’s. And her sleeves, how would she ever quickdraw with such large cuffs.
Finally she made it to the library and saw Castelle there, reading from an ancient leatherbound book on a podium. Behind her black tentacular whisps of smoke…and behind that was a black vortex that pulled Nav forward as though she was in a wind tunnel. The same pull seemed to have no effect on anything else in the library. Nave pulled out her pistol to fire, but it was a crossbow instead. The quarrel sunk into Castelle’s form to no effect.
Castelle didn’t laugh, but she looked amused. “You’ve very capable to get this far. You remind me of the Nav I know.”
She braced herself on the way to the podium [Prowess Resist to avoid being pulled into the vortex] but realized there was no way to grab the tome and get away without being pulled in.
“Impressive, but I can’t let you take this book. Perhaps we can come to an agreement instead.”
Nav likes sneaking around and avoiding people. She doesn’t like having to talk to people, and she really doesn’t like having to make deals, but there weren’t any other choices. If she tried to grab the book, she’d be sure to be pulled in and there’s no telling what Castelle (who was unharmed by a crossbow bolt) would do. Fiiiiiiiine.
“How about I leave this place and you let Kassius free? I’ll leave your book and you alone, and never come back.”
“Are you willing to make an oath that you’ll never return?”
“No tricks?”
“No tricks. You go away and never return to Comber House and I let your Kassius go free.”
The reached out their hands to shake and as they did shadowy tendrils wrapped around Nav’s arm and for a moment she was on top of Comber Tower with a giant vortex swirling over her head in a Doksvol that had no BLUE array, no lightning barriers, no protection from the Deathlands at all. They shook and Nav was back in the elevator, which dinged as it opened to the parking garage. Kassius at her side.
Paulo had already hotwired a car and Nav, who was in a very bad mood told them all to not as questions, get in the car, and get out of here as fast as they could. She helped Delta into the back seat. In the front Kassius, who didn’t know if he was going to disintegrate once they left the threshold of the building leaved over and gave Paolo a very wet, very big kiss “In case I don’t make it.”
Just as they were pulling out, a now very regretful Rorick tried once again to grapple Ruben’s resonance but Ruben said “Stop.” and to his surprise his hand was frozen. There was a clink and his collar dropped to the ground. [Flashback to Nav saying “I also want your resonance or ghost guardian or whatever he is to be free. Desperate Sway, which she got a Crit on by Deadlocking her “confident” key!]
As the car pulled out of the garage Nav saw Kassius disintegrate before her eyes and turn to dust, and then in a blink her vision cleared and he was there there in the car with them all, real as he ever was. Stupefied that it worked. Inside Rorick, lit a cigarette, started smoking and casually walked into the night.
Aftermath
Payout. Kassius as a Shadowy Fixer (claim) and 4 stacks from Kasisus himself (2 of which went to the Gallo family).
Rep: 5 (SMF is Tier 4)
Heat. 6 (Contained, High Profile Target, Hostile Turf, Killing involved)
Harm Complications: Paulo (nothing), Nav (self-medication), Delta (critical condition…again). Delta was so utterly broken he needed to go back to Croc to be repaired…if repairs to his current chassis are even possible.
Unwind. The crew caught up on the drive back to their base, where Kassius didn’t quite call it “quaint” but it was clear he was used to a bit more (okay a lot more) space and luxury. He took Nav’s finest Iruvian port and decided to take a walk on the town. His first night in this world as a free man. The rest of the crew bickered (Nav was searing) and cared for each other (Delta was gushing) in equal measure.
Unwelcome Visits
Chago found Paolo at the craps table, just as he busted. “Looks like we’re not lucky all the time. I wasn’t so lucky either… I lost an entire shipment to the Red Barons…because you gave them access to my ship.”
“Chago, Chago, there’s a misunderstanding. I can see why you’d be upset that your shipment was stolen by another crew…but surely you can’t blame me, your friend, for this misfortune.”
Paolo tried to deflect but Chago was undeterred. “I very much can and do blame you friend. Get me back my shipment or I burn this whole place down. And I mean that very literally.”
Paolo pointed out that the Gallo Family hadn’t hurt them and Chago shrugged “yes, it would be very unfortunate if other people suffered because of your mistakes.”
Paolo recalled Chago firing a rocket launcher at him the first time they encountered each other, and was sure he wasn’t bluffing.
—
As if that wasn’t bad enough, the got a second visit later that day. A knock on the door of their base. Paolo thought it had to be Kassius (who else knows where they are) but it was Bowman instead. He let himself in
“D’Ambrosio, is Siketset hiding from me as usual?”
Paolo confronted Bowman with how rude and inappropriate this all was, but he was unmoved. “I’m disappointed you didn’t get the so-called grimoire, but as you’re the only ones who know where it is, you’re going to have to go back.”
“You misunderstand, we don’t steal things like books. We find information, documents, that sort of thing.”
“And I think you don’t understand how painful the Palace can make your life if you don’t do want we ask…or how much we can do for you if you do. All of your records could be expunged…including Rubens.”
…Just at that moment across town Croc was taking Delta apart and found the bug that had been placed in him at Ironhook. Bowman had been listening to everything he heard all along…
“And we could make sure that Lydia Rowan doesn’t know that anyone else know about her activities in the dungeons of that ancient building.”
Nav entered with her whole as sniper rifle trained on Bowman. “You need to leave and never come back.”
“I’ll leave, but this conversation isn’t over. You’re going to find a way back inside Comber house and your going to get us that book and we’re going to put a lockdown on ever “Stranger” that has slipped into our world.
Bowman left with a threat that if they didn’t show next time he called for them, his next visit would be much less pleasant.
Even though they all hated him Paolo couldn’t help but start planning how they could make it possible.
Next session
- Trouble Engine
- Downtime
- New character for Adrienne (Little Gallo?) while Delta is repaired.
- Next score: recovering the stolen shipment? Double-double crossing the SCORPION Syndicate? We’ll find out!
