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Gotham's Dead End Bar Ch.81
🕑 Added 2025-07-25 16:22:56 +0000 UTC— Sean —
“Ophis, I need you to roll two checks for me,” I said. “The first… We’ll call it Initiative, though you’re not going to be in combat. It’s the Initiative for your sleepwalking, more accurately. Just 1d10 to see how you walk, with no set Difficulty except that a 1 will injure you. Then, the second will be a Perception/Arcane Awareness check for your oracular ability. Difficulty 6.”
“Un,” Ophis nodded in understanding.
“3,” She proudly reported her first roll. “And… 8, 10, 7, 10, 9.”
“Didi’s grace…” I sighed. “Your rolls are insane, you know that?”
“Thank you,” Ophis preened.
“In your sleep, apart from your dreams, your body rises from its chosen mattress,” I narrated. “Your eyes are closed, unseeing on the surface but seeing everything else beneath. Miraculously, some would say, you put one foot in front of the other and begin to wander through the mall. Tell me, how does your ‘Ophy’ feel about her sleepwalking?”
Ophis just shrugged, “Eh.”
“You don’t care one bit, do you?” I clarified. When she shook her head, I continued. “It’s just a part of you. You don’t mind. Sometimes, you’ll even wake with the first taste of morning coffee already on your tongue. But that just makes things easier for you.
“Here and now is no different. You knew the risks when you fell asleep in public. You readily accepted them. Now, your sleeping form walks the mall as if just window-shopping. People part and mutter around you, confused and unsure what to do when they see your eyes firmly closed. One brave soul tries to wake you. You shrug him off without difficulty and continue on the path your unconsciousness has chosen for you.”
“And my dreaming…?” Ophis asked, tilting her head curiously.
“In your sleeping safety,” I said. “You see a fat, tangled knot where several strings come to combine. An intersection lifted above the rest of the world. It’s not malicious, nor benevolent. It simply is. Unique. Set apart. Isolated to a degree, and converging to another.
“Above the knot, a braided, sevenfold rope rises. You see yourself in it. And others, unknown. One of the seven strands stands out. It grows closer, more prominent, while staying intertwined. Looking forward upon it brings only uncertain potential. But looking back… You see a story.”
“Would you like to look closer?” I asked.
Ophis shrugged once more, “Eh.”
“You look closer,” I deadpanned, deciding for her. “You see days, then weeks, then months on the run. A young woman who thinks herself alone in the world. She wears black and hears voices that no one else can. And at the strand’s base, you see a reason, an Awakening…”
“Wonderful, she’s gonna know everything about my Alice…” Alice grumbled. “Oracles are bullshit.”
“They so are,” Hecate readily agreed.
“If it makes you feel better… I don’t really care,” Ophis said bluntly.
“It doesn’t!” Alice snapped back.
Uncaring of Alice’s protests, I continued describing Ophis’s dream-vision, “The young woman once lived an idyllic and privileged life. She wanted for little, if anything at all. Her necessities were taken care of without question. But that privilege came at a cost…
“One day, the young woman — barely more than a girl — awoke to whispers from the walls of her home. They spoke of death, and torment, and sacrifice against their will. They grew louder when she tried to ignore them. Insistent. They drew her to her father’s office, where she was forbidden to tread. Then, to a hidden room there, carved into the very foundation of her family’s estate.
“To her horror, she found the source of her parents’ wealth. The bloody basis for the life she lived. There were cells beneath the halls she’d walked all her life, marred by old blood stains and voices cursed to linger. The voices couldn’t help but shout their tales to anyone who could listen.
“That day, the young woman learned that her parents served something dark, something thirsty, something already dead. They brought it sacrifices of flesh and blood that wouldn’t be missed, and it would come to feed. In payment, her parents were allowed to drink from its vitae, addicted to the taste, the power, the evil. They gathered wealth, they forged connections, they participated in terrible sin; all for their next fix.
“With her discovery, she was abruptly awakened to the dark, brutal, and unforgiving truths the world could bring to bear. And that Awakening sparked something more in her. The voices only she could hear were joined by visual sprites and spirits. Seeing the tormented states her parents left their victims in was the final straw.
“So she ran. She ran away from the monsters, the ghouls, who spawned her, and didn’t look back. She’s been struggling to survive on her own ever since. But she regrets nothing. Life on the streets is better than a life with closed eyes beside monsters…”
“… Damn, Dad,” Alice said, looking at me with some small awe. “You made it sound so cool… I know I didn’t come up with half of that when we were putting together my backstory.”
“I’m the Storyteller,” I chuckled. “I do as the role demands: tell stories.”
“Hmm. Cool,” Ophis hummed. “Can I find her? She seems… decently interesting…”
“As a matter of fact, that’s exactly where your sleeping strides are taking you,” I answered with a grin. “Alice, before Ophy joins you, you’re still doing your own thing, aren’t you~?”
“The journal,” Alice nodded. “You needed one more roll from me, right?”
“That’s right,” I confirmed. “A Wits/Occult check, to see how everything you’ve learned ‘takes’ in your mind… Difficulty 7, if you would, please.”
“This is a sanity check, isn’t it?” Alice asked with a wince. “Alright… 2, 1, 1, 10, 4, 6. Fuck.”
“You can use a point of Willpower to salvage the roll,” I reminded her.
Slowly, Alice shook her head, “… No, I think I’ll take my lumps. I’m okay with a little bit of madness.”
“That’s the spirit~!” Harley cheered.
I simply shrugged, “If you insist. Let’s just say you’re more influenced by the writings of the journal than you might’ve anticipated. As in, a few parts of it almost instantaneously become fact in your mind, core aspects of your magely worldview.”
“Oh, Mom,” Alice bemoaned, taking Didi’s name not-quite-in-vain.
“Don’t look at me,” Didi tittered. “You accepted the consequences of your roll when you could’ve used a point or two of Willpower to avoid it altogether.”
“Still…” Alice grumbled. “Alright, what’s even in this journal?”
“It’s the personal writings of a man named Barnabus E. Shrim, who lived during the late 19th century. The Victorian Era… An aspect of himself that… cannot be denied. He may just be the most Victorian-sounding man you’ve ever read about. But he was also, very clearly by your reckoning, a mage. A man steeped in the occult of the time. This and its personal nature led the journal to become a fascinating mix of fact and fiction, truth and superstition,” I explained.
“Oh, joy,” Ivy snorted. “Victorians…”
“Even as human history goes, that was an… eccentric time,” Hecate said.
“Barnabus lived during a time of rapid scientific development and advancement,” I described. “A time of extensive victories for a certain Rational Order in the battle for control over the world’s Consensus. His were some of the last true breaths for the magely traditions. In his lifetime, he witnessed Science rise and Rationale steadily consolidate belief, tradition, and culture into a single, carefully curated, strictly enforced world order. By the turn of the century, ‘magic’ would begin to become something to scoff at, something to dismiss for a ‘fundamental and logical’ Consensus.
“Yet at the same time, in other places, his era was one of revival. The Order of Reason pushed too far, too fast, and some across the world turned back to occultism, alchemy, and radical philosophies; to religious reverence, supernatural superstitions, and secret societies.”
Alice was listening closely now, as were the others. The journal was the first concrete source of lore for the ‘Chronicle’, and it was a primary source, to boot. It was their first in-universe peek at the history of magic, their first glimpse of the ‘magical side’ that their characters now inhabited.
“As you read,” I narrated. “You discern cryptic and coded references to a hidden war, a struggle spanning much of recorded history, and to both sides of the war. Barnabus writes of the ‘Traditions’, and you pick up some names: the Order of Hermes, the Cult of Ecstasy, the Akashic Brotherhood, and the Dreamspeakers… Each has their own way with magic, Barnabus claims. And they’re only even somewhat united by the threat of a far greater foe…
“Here, you find references to the other side. Barnabus calls them by several similar names: the Rational Order, the Order of Reason, ‘Science’ itself, and increasingly toward the end of the journal, the Technocracy. Barnabus says they’ve irreversibly shaped the entire world and human consciousness. He has plenty of personal anecdotes to prove it.
“The more you read, the more you find yourself agreeing. No, believing… Because Barnabus’s journal isn’t just a glimpse into history through his eyes, it’s a legacy. In it, you find his magic, imparted in personal experiences and lessons not written as such.”
“What-… What do I learn…?” Alice asked in almost breathless anticipation.
“Barnabus often speaks of talking to spirits of the dead. Spiritualism was something of a trend during his time, to put it all too lightly,” I smirked. “But you’ve already got that one down. Barnabus wasn’t a natural Medium like you. He had to jump through many hoops to do what you do automatically.
“But in other places, his writings are a revelation. Rituals and spells and alchemy: he writes of summoning demons to bind, of experimenting with the ‘most basic of fireballs, elevated via soul and spirit’, and of animating the inanimate. Possibilities you hadn’t even realized were there, laid bare. There are no direct instructions for anything, but the ideas linger in your mind.
“Most importantly, he gives you a Foci to take and twist for yourself. The first and most essential stone laid. Barnabus enacted his magic through communing with spirits, but he didn’t limit himself to hearing or seeing the dead. No, he harnessed and channeled and coerced the spirits of everything. Could you do the same…?”
“Fuck yeah, I could,” Alice nodded proudly. “And I’ll do it better than that old fart. I’ve already got the talent.”
“So you do,” I agreed. “Your nature as a Medium is valuable. Useful. Perhaps even a potential key to your ascension. For now, we’ll say it shifts your paradigm so that all of your magic comes through, beside, or around spirits, and that you gain one point each in Arete and your Spirit Sphere.”
Alice marked down the increases on her character sheet, “3 dots in Arete… Then, 3, 2, and 1 in Spirit, Life, and Mind, respectively.”
“Of course, there are also the consequences of failing your ‘sanity check’ to speak of,” I grinned. “You find yourself with some… strange beliefs, all of a sudden.”
‘I must praise the fortifying mystical properties of the Egyptian Mummies,’ Barnabus writes. ‘We — Aleister and I — hosted a second unwrapping recently. Thankfully, this one didn’t sit up and exasperatedly ask us what we were doing with it mid-process. Awkward conversation with the long-dead avoided, we ground up two shriveled fingers to use as spice and seasoning. I took mine in tea. It added a pleasant ‘kick’, both spiritual and savory. I believe I could grow quite fond of it, and have already asked Aleister to set aside another finger for my personal use-…’
Alice recoiled in confusion, “Isn’t that just cannibalism past the expiration date?!”
“Some might call it that, yes,” I chuckled. “Nevertheless, you suddenly find yourself craving a spot of powdered mummy.”
“Oh… That’s just wonderful…” Alice said through gritted teeth.
“Aleister? As in Aleister Crowley?” Hecate curiously asked.
“A good friend of ol’ Barnabus,” I answered.
“Well, he kept decently interesting company, at least,” Hecate chuffed.
“Now, Alice, upon looking up from the journal, you see an odd, young-looking girl walking toward you with her eyes closed and her arms outstretched,” I said.
“Like a mummy?” Alice flatly asked.
“The resemblance is uncanny,” I smirked. “But something else about her doesn’t quite seem right, either. You’re not exactly sitting in the middle of the mall, after all. You found a tucked-away nook to read in, and someone without even open eyes shouldn’t have found you so easily. Yet unmistakably, she’s coming straight toward you.”
“Now, Ophis, you’re still sleepwalking, so I’ll be speaking for you for a moment here,” I warned. “This is the Oracle coming out of you. Be ready…”
“Un,” She nodded.
‘Alice…’ An unnatural, graveled voice comes from a sleeping throat, ringing of magic to the one pair of ears that can consciously hear it. ‘Alice, the Damnation. Alice, Whisperer of the Dead. Alice, Awakened Mage. Alice, Walker of Dream and Spirit and Shadow. Alice, Devourer of the Undead, of Mummies in particular…’
“Oh, that’s just great! It’s in my damn future!” Alice threw her hands up in frustration. “The damn Oracle sees it!”
‘Sevenfold, they come,’ The Oracle’s voice continued, echoing from Ophy’s throat. ‘Sevenfold, they grow. Sevenfold, they ascend. A capture, first, an adventure, a heist. What comes next, not even the Heavens kno-…’
‘Oi!’ Alice shouts. ‘What gives, creepy-ass?! Don’t go approaching me so menacingly! I’ll… I’ll smite you!’
“Ophis, I need you to give me another Initiative roll to wake up, please,” I requested.
“Un,” She nodded and rolled. “… 9.”
“Alice, why don’t you give me one as well?”
“… Dammit. 2.”
Chuckling, I narrated, “Before you, Alice, the sleepwalker stirs. She blinks and stretches, but her feet carry her forward to you anyway. You try to leap to your feet, and trip. Right into her. Ophy blinks up at you as both of you are taken down. But then, as you should hit the ground, you do so just right, and don’t hit anything at all.”
“No, instead,” I continued. “You keep falling past the floor, past the physical, past reality. You fall and fall. Alice, you might be panicking slightly. Ophy, you might be almost nodding off again. Regardless of your reaction, you seem to fall for an eternity and an instant before you’re almost gently and lovingly placed onto a completely new floor.
“Now, when you look around, you find yourself at the intersection of eerily empty, unfamiliar hallways as far as the eye can see…”
“Wonderful,” Alice grumbled. “We got ‘Backhalled’.”
“Think about how you’ll address the new and rather sudden situation,” I instructed her. “We’ll return to you two shortly.”
I turned to address the next players’ turns, “Now, Didi, Simmy, I think you two are a lovely pair to continue with. Simmy, your curiosity knows no rest, does it? And Didi, your Maria was drawn to this mall by a heartbeat only you could hear. How are you reacting? What are you two currently doing?”
“[Human sustenance!][New experience!][Processing Imagination…][… Data > Food.]” Simmy dinged, starting excited and ending with comical disappointment.
“Oh, I think Maria will just wander a bit, keeping her eyes and ears open to the pulse of the mall. Is her Seeking still in effect?” Didi asked.
I shook my head, “It has quieted. As soon as you entered the mall, the outside world was seemingly cut off. The glorious, cacophonous, lively tapestry of beating stories you could hear is now silent. But in your bones, you can swear you still feel a steady pulse beneath your feet from the mall itself.”
“Hmm, interesting~…” Didi hummed. “Yet, I’m already here, and it’s coming from all around. There’s nowhere left to follow it.”
“Perhaps. Perhaps not…” I said cryptically. “The six other heartbeats you heard within the mall still somehow stand out to your senses as lingering traces of direction. You even feel two of the six go… down/sideways/diagonal for a fleeting moment before settling into a strange place beneath/above/beside you. You… can’t quite tell, but they’re still relatively close at hand.”
“Can I… reach out to them? Any of them? All? Using my Life Sphere to listen to the heartbeats and their stories?” Didi asked. “Not to establish contact or communication, just yet. At least, not intentionally. I’m just looking to get something of a feel for them and the situation at hand.”
“I think you can,” I confirmed. “But you’re just working off instinct here. Thankfully, your recent Seeking gifted you a new sort of Foci and another point in Arete. Roll 3d10 for me, my Death, to see how you manage. Difficulty 6.”
Didi did so and reported back, “8, 2, 6. Two successes, then?”
“Indeed,” I nodded. “You focus yourself by listening to the heartbeats. They come to you as steadying, surprisingly reassuring things. The two heartbeats in a strange parallel space beat with slight panic for the first, confusion for both, and sleepiness for the second. They’re lost but together.
“A third heart beats with curiosity unmatched. It’s the closest one to you. The fourth beats in double. Two-in-one, dedicated to investigating a mystery. The fifth heart beats of growing delusion and glory. A seed, a new name, and a potential waiting to be explored. The sixth, the last, beats a lonely story on the run. Fear of the unknown chases it, hunts it, still.
“And on the other side, regardless of what you’re doing, you all feel a heartbeat brush up against your own. It’s a gentle and caring thing. A boon, a moment of peace, and a call of direction…” I finished. “Simmy, you’ll be the first to respond.”
“[Curious!][Course of action: Seek!]” Simmy chimed.
“Roll Intelligence/Enigmas for me. Difficulty 7,” I requested.
“[Roll = 9, 4, 4, 7.]”
“You don’t hesitate to leave your food in search of the new phenomenon,” I narrated. “Curiosity grips you, as always, and you have little trouble in following the beating call. It takes you to a gorgeous young woman in comfortable nun’s robes. You find Maria already waiting for you, only slightly confused.”
“[Approach!]” Simmy decided.
“Didi, does Maria know sign language?” I asked. “Intelligence/Linguistics, Difficulty 6.”
“9, 6, 3, 8. Yes, I believe she does,” She confirmed. “Simmy is mute, isn’t she? That should be rather helpful in establishing communication, then.”
“Indeed, it will,” I nodded. “And as the young blonde woman approaches you, she strikes up a conversation in sign. You can return the attempt.”
‘Hello…?’ Simmy half-asks, half-greets, her body language wary and curious.
‘Hello, child,’ Maria greets back. ‘You feel it, too, don’t you? You must. I’m sure.’
‘Heartbeat, heartbeat…’ Simmy says. ‘I feel… you…’
‘My apologies if I’ve disturbed you,’ Maria replies. ‘I’m still new to… this. Unsure what exactly I’m doing, to be honest. But… there’s something here, isn’t there?’
‘I’m new as well,’ Simmy is honest. ‘Questions, so many questions… Do you have answers?’
‘No,’ Maria shakes her head just as honestly. ‘But perhaps we can discover them together.’
‘How?’ Simmy eagerly asks.
‘Well… I can tell you what I’ve experienced today,’ Maria offers. ‘It might just be a place to start.’
“You two seem to get on quickly and easily,” I said. “Neither has the answers the other seeks, but you carry the same curiosity. Simmy’s is just a bit more potent and demanding. But Maria won’t easily forget her Seeking, either.
“You, Didi, begin to recount the experiences that led you here. You, Simmy, produce a spiral notebook and write down every word she signs. The notebook has already seen use, hasn’t it? You’ve systematically recorded your own experiences. Now, you have another data point. You seem determined to treat all of this in a rather scientific way. It’s a study, just as it is your new reality. Simmy, give me an Intelligence/Research check, if you would.”
“[Rolls = 10, 10, 5, 3, 8, 2!]” Simmy preened.
I chuckled, “Yes, I imagine the strict cataloguing of both of your experiences with magic goes quite well. Your personal study grows, and Maria even helps you notice aspects of your Awakening that you missed for yourself. Your Eidetic Memory trait comes in handy here, allowing you to recount the experience in exact detail. Maria listens, truly listens, and helps as she is prone to doing.
“You establish a few things between yourself. The revelations you both experienced came from different sources, but they seem to come to the same end result, ultimately: the world has irreversibly changed in your eyes. Awakened.
“The ‘delusion’ seems to be shared. Confirmed. Peer-reviewed, almost. Maria hears the heartbeats of Life, yet Simmy heard the heartbeat, too… At the same time, Simmy dreams up the quintessential questions of Prime, yet Maria has dreamed up a few quintessential questions of her own.
“The two of you sit together like that for a while, throwing theories at the page to see what sticks. You look for constants and similarities, and think you’ve found some in the questioning, beating Foci that underlie your unexplainable experiences. You remember the questing calls that drew you deeper into Awakening, one into an impossible library of Questions and the other into a tapestry of Life. More than anything, though, one thing is confirmed to both of you… You aren’t alone in this new world.”
Didi smiled, “I think Maria is already growing fond of Simmy. Her unique perspective and her undying curiosity are valuable qualities to venture into the unknown with.”
“[Simmy feels the same!]” Simmy twinkled excitedly. “[More DATA!]”
I smiled at their shared enjoyment of the game and story, but still said, “Unfortunately, you two won’t get the chance to get too carried away.”
Subtly, I rolled a d10 of my own, “… 7. Yes, that’ll do.”
Simmy turned to me with a blank expression on her crystalline face, “[… Uh oh.]”
I forged right on ahead with my plan, “Simmy, you look up from your notebook, just once, rest your scribbling pen, just once, and that’s enough for tragedy to strike. You and Maria glance back down just in time to catch sight of the notebook falling right through the solid table beneath. Roll for Initiative, please, both of you. I’ll say 1d10 plus your Dexterity/Arcane Awareness scores.”
“5 + 4,” Didi reports.
“[Roll = 5 + 2.] Simmy does as well.
“What a fortuitous coincidence,” I chuckled. “You both lunge for the impossibly falling notebook. Maria is more successful, snagging a corner. Simmy misses, but still manages to snag Maria’s hand. But neither of you can stop the fall.
“There’s no hole in the table, no portal, or spell you can see at work. The notebook just phases straight through solid matter. And now, touching it, connected to it, you two do as well. An outside observer might witness the impossible as both of you fall through the table and disappear without any trace. To your eyes, impenetrable blackness overtakes you for barely a blink. Then, you find yourselves… elsewhere…”
“[But notebook! DATA!][Status check?!]” A fair bit of panic could be heard in Simmy’s usual chiming voice.
“She knows her priorities,” Hecate nodded approvingly.
“It’s intact,” I reassured.
I don’t think many could say they’d seen an Endbringer sag in relief…
“And where are we now, Sean?” Didi asked.
“You… can’t quite be sure,” I described. “Your immediate surroundings consist of a cavernous room and sterile, fluorescent lights above. The falling notebook has taken you… somewhere, and you’ve landed atop a queer pile. A hoard, even. An extensive and indiscriminate collection of items is piled meters high beneath you.
“You can see mismatched clothes and shoes and hats and belts and socks. Knick-knacks from scented candles to novelty mugs. Odd little amusements and souvenirs: a keychain here, a full mannequin there. A mall-quality katana, a well-crafted cane, and a rather middling series of personalized (and likely fake) jewelry pieces. The collection goes on and on — personal effects, retail stock, bits of various technologies, maintenance supplies, and byproducts of administration. And, most strangely, a display of carefully arranged, fully assembled, beautifully painted wargame miniatures…
“You find yourself on an island of missing property, on the evidence of a misplacing phenomenon. The mall takes and takes with little regard for sentiment or utility. Purposefully or accidentally, with or without a driving intelligence behind it, the pile grows.”
“Heeeyyyy~… Wasn’t this our plotline~?” Harley playfully complained.
“Didi and Simmy got there first. You’ll just have to up your game next time,” I shot back with a smirk.
“Don’t worry,” Didi tittered. “I’m sure we can be convinced to split the reward for your case when we finally meet.”
“First, though…” She continued. “Sean? Can Maria make a Perception/Arcane Awareness roll to discern more about our new surroundings?”
Nodding, I motioned for her to do so. She quickly recounted her roll aloud, “4, 10, 8, 3, 2. I’m, of course, going to share the results with Simmy.”
“The overarching heartbeat is strong here,” I narrated. “Less distant. As if you’re in the chest with it. But also, those first two heartbeats you heard before? The ones who seemed to fall somewhere else? They aren’t so remotely removed anymore. In fact, they sound rather close.”
“[Choice: Find new friends and stick together.]” Simmy resolutely decided.
Didi nodded, “I concur.”
“Best get to wandering, then,” I smirked. “In the meantime, we’ll give our last three players their time to shine. Harley and Ivy? Hecate? Grundy? Your three characters are up. We’ll start with… THE Morrígan. Hecate, what have you been doing since you got your new lease on life?”
“Thinking! But not settling. She’s still incensed,” Hecate said. “The world owes her repayment for her terribly mundane suffering. Honestly, capitalism has sunk low when it makes a goddess go through the same tripe as the rest of the mortals.”
“Yes, a goddess,” I deadpanned. “This goddess especially seems to be suffering from many mortal ills. Your back aches. Your feet are already tired. You find yourself hungry, and rather cranky as a result.”
Hecate scoffed, “Forget capitalism, the whole world seems to have it out for THE Morrígan. Physical concerns? For a goddess? Inconceivable!”
“I don’t think that word applies here,” Ivy dryly noted.
“Or that you know what it means~!” Harley added with a cackle.
“Regardless! She pushes on!” Hecate declared. “Nothing shall stop a goddess of magic!”
“On another hand, Harley, Ivy, your investigation has been going relatively well,” I switched my focus onto them. “You’ve certainly gathered enough evidence to say something strange is happening in the mall. The only question left is where you go from here.”
“We should try to catch the ‘thieves’ in the act, right? Like Didi and Simmy did,” Harley said.
“Hmm, that’s awfully close to meta-gaming,” I hummed. “But I think I’ll allow it. It’s still something your character could’ve reasonably come up with on her own. Of course, it’s easy to say that, but there’s no easy way to make it a reality, is there?”
“It seems to happen quite often, from all the testimonies we’ve heard,” Ivy said. “We could just wander while keeping our eyes open.”
“Oooorrr~…” Harley grinned. “Magic~!”
I waved for her to continue, only asking, “How so?”
“Perhaps a trap of some kind?” Ivy considered.
“We use Mind magic to make, like, the opposite of a Someone Else’s Problem field!” Harley declared. “Something that attracts attention, instead of redirecting it! Then we leave a Warpick 20k kit in the middle of it. The game store employee we interviewed said that the ‘thieves’ seem to like them, right?”
“Right,” I confirmed. “It’s an odd preference, but it is there. To utilize it to your advantage… you just have to drop 90 bucks on a single kit.”
“90 buckerinos?!” Harley exclaimed.
Ivy sighed, “It’s not like we have a lot of other options. We’ll bite that bullet.”
“Fine…” Harley grumbled. “But Baby’s going to list it as a business expense come tax season.”
“As you should,” I chuckled. “Now, give me an Arete roll, please, and we’ll see how well the ‘YOUR problem’ field works out.”
“3 and a 10!” Harley cheerfully reported.
“The magic takes well, it would seem,” I narrated. “Perhaps a bit too well, for your efforts immediately gain the laser focus of a certain self-elevated goddess. It’s meant to attract attention, and it certainly does.”
“An unidentified working of magic?! In THE Morrígan’s domain?! This will not stand!” Hecate seemed to rather enjoy playing into her character’s delusion.
“Yes, you run straight toward the disturbance you sense,” I deadpanned. “Not unlike a bug to a bugzapper.”
“A bug?! How dare-!” Hecate’s offended gasp quickly turned into genuine giggles as that finally broke her. “Hehe~ehehehehe~!”
“In all seriousness,” I smiled. “You do go over to check out… whatever is going on. You still haven’t seen any magic other than your own. That might make you curious. It might also make you nervous… Defensive. Maybe even standoffish or initially hostile.”
Managing to collect herself again, Hecate nodded, “Yes, I believe that’s rather in character for THE Morrígan. She charges in with many thoughts on her mind and many more words on her lips.”
‘Just WHAT is the meaning of this?!’ THE Morrígan immediately demands to know.
‘Nunya!’ Baby shouts back.
Rose was quick to play the mediator for her shared self, ‘I don’t quite know what you mean.’
The odd mannerism threw THE Morrígan for a loop, “I-… what? Did you just… disagree with yourself?’
‘Mind your own damn business,’ Baby grumbles.
‘Indeed, this hardly concerns you,’ Rose finishes.
‘Wha-?! Of course, it does!’ THE Morrígan insists. ‘You’re clearly doing… something! Something wicked! Something probably terrible! You think you can waltz in and start attracting attention without any attention?!’
‘Well, duh,’ Baby deadpans. ‘It’s already done, innit?’
‘What is done?!’ THE Morrígan demands. ‘Tell me now or I shall strike you down with the greatest of furies!’
Even for Rose, the more reasonable half, that was a touch too far to just accept, ‘Who the hell talks like that?’
‘Yeah, you think you’re some kinda hotshot?!’ Baby jeers.
‘Talks like-?!’ THE Morrígan sputters. ‘You’re hardly one to judge! You and your-! Your split delusion or whatever!’
‘We’re perfectly sane together, thank you very much,’ Rose says icily.
‘So you admit it!’ THE Morrígan declares, spying a victory.
‘I don’t admit jack, Buster,’ Baby growls. ‘Some of us were just minding our business before you got all up in it.’
‘Minding your own business?!’ THE Morrígan gapes. ‘You’re doing no such thing! You’re clearly trying to attract all the attention you can get for some wicked scheme in my mall!’
‘We’re working,’ Rose testily says. ‘It’s a public space. We have every right to be here. And we’re on a case. Frankly, you should be the one explaining yourself to us.’
THE Morrígan scoffs, ‘What is there to explain? I’m simply a concerned and upstanding citizen who’s trying to hold a strange, strange woman accountable.’
‘Yeah?’ Baby questions. ‘Then how do you even know something’s up, huh?’
THE Morrígan is brought to sputtering once more, ‘W-Well, it’s obvious, isn’t it?’
‘It’s really not,’ Rose dryly states. ‘We’re not in the way. We’re not interrupting anything (unlike you). And even if we were doing something, you shouldn’t have had any way to know that.’
‘Vindication!’ THE Morrígan exclaims. ‘You admit it, what I can feel so clearly! Nothing slips past an awakened goddess!’
‘Oh. You’re like ‘crazy’ crazy, ain’tcha?’ Baby says.
Chuckling at the amusing mental scene that the girls and their characters were painting, I said, “Neither of you seems quick to budge or concede. You might just bicker until the end of time if given the chance. THE Morrígan knows something is up. Baby and Rose aren’t trying to hide much, but your two-in-one mind can’t help but wonder how she knows that with such certainty.
“Your initial meeting doesn’t seem like it’ll come to blows. But there’s still a sense of tension in the air between you. A crackling of Mind and Force, unrealized for now. Would either of you like to roll for Initiative?”
“Ye-!” Harley began.
Ivy quickly cut her off, “No. No, we wouldn’t.”
“Neither would THE Morrígan, truth be told,” Hecate said. “She’s mostly just confused, clinging to what she thinks she knows and lashing out at what she doesn’t. There’s little actual hostility to her. But she’ll continue to argue anyway, just to hold even the most minor sense of power over her new, upheaved existence.”
“And will you try and be the bigger person?” I asked Harley and Ivy.
“She should, Rose knows…” Ivy began.
Then, it was Harley’s turn to cut her off with a smirk and snort, “But FUCK, NO. She’s not about to let this crazy chick win one over on her.”
“Says the character with literal split personalities,” Hecate scoffed.
Before they could devolve back into in-character arguments, I turned to the last player at the table, “So, Grundy, this is the scene your Asmodeus is going to be entering in on. A fierce and futile argument. But you’re bringing your own problems into play, too, aren’t you?”
“Asmodeus… is being… chased, yes?” Grundy clarified.
“He is,” I confirmed. “Your flight from the backhalls wasn’t uncontested or wholly successful. Your pursuer burst from the same door you did less than a minute later. You were already up a level and keeping a decent lead at that point. But from the second floor, you still catch a glimpse of the second security professional’s reaction at the sudden and rather complete change of scenery…
“From a labyrinth of backhalls to an open and public space, bustling with people. The second professional hesitates. He pauses. Shock holds him frozen for a long moment, as if he can’t believe his eyes. Truly, genuinely, he had no idea that such a place lay beyond the backhalls.”
“Huh…” Grundy slowly blinked.
“When he begins to move again,” I continued. “He’s visibly wary and suspicious of the other people in the mall. As if he doesn’t quite believe they’re real. He’s hand goes to his earpiece, but you won’t have any hope of hearing what is said into it. Then, he sees you, and seems to decide that the least he can do is finish the mission he knows. He gives chase once more.”
“Asmodeus will… run, still…” Grundy said.
I nod at the expected decision, “Give me a Stamina/Alertness check, please. Difficulty 6.”
“… 6, 3, 10, 10,” Grundy lets out an audibly relieved sigh.
“With the benefit of the crowds in the mall, you keep ahead of your pursuer rather easily,” I narrated. “But the chase doesn’t stay so simple, doesn’t stick to just you and him. At one point, you see a worrying and impossible scene. The professional has called for reinforcements, and they arrive from a dead-end restroom you run past.
“Perhaps this third professional was just lying in wait for you… Somehow, you doubt it. But you can’t easily explain the new development, either. Regardless, your pursuers double, and begin to work together to pincer you. You find yourself funneled into a more deserted and isolated section of the mall. There, you run right into the middle of an odd argument.
“Harley? Ivy? Hecate? Your two characters see a truly massive man barge into your midst. He’s quickly followed by a pair of intimidating men in black suits with black shades. They seem rather fiercely and worryingly focused on the massive man. If you look closely, you might even see a pair of weapons — an electrifying stun baton and an advanced stun gun — being brought to bear.”
“Nope, Men in Black,” Harley firmly shakes her head. “Fuck that.”
“Rose isn’t the kind to leave someone to an oppressive fate,” Ivy said.
“Neither is THE Morrígan,” Hecate decidedly agreed.
“Your feelings on the situation don’t seem to matter much, because the magic in the air doesn’t escape notice,” I explained. “As the two professionals grow closer, simultaneous alerts ring out from watches on their wrists. Instantly, they turn their attention onto you two as well as Asmodeus… Roll for Initiative.”
“… 7… plus 3,” Grundy reported.
“1d10 plus Dexterity/Wits score, right?” Ivy clarified. “4 plus 3.”
“3 plus 4.”
I rolled the enemy Initiative for myself, “A 7 and a 9, my, my… Both plus 4. Unfortunately, the professionals react first and decisively, at that. They are professionals, after all.
“The one with the stun gun focuses on Asmodeus. His weapon isn’t a normal taser, as Rose/Baby might be most familiar with. No, it almost seems to be a medium-range energy weapon, more sci-fi phaser than taser. Impossible, but your eyes don’t deceive you.
“He pops off a ‘shot’ before anyone can stop him. There’s a soft zapping noise, too soft to be heard by anyone outside the fight. An unbelievable ring of crackling lightning is projected forth as the bullet. It strikes Asmodeus in the back, and an almost gentle light flickers over his form for a moment.
“Asmodeus, I’m sad to say, is going down hard no matter what. He drops like a sack of bricks. Still, Grundy, I need you to roll to soak damage.”
Stoically, Grundy nodded, “… 1, 8.”
“Alright,” I said, keeping that collectively unsuccessful roll in mind. “I’ll summarize damage at the end to avoid ruining the momentum of combat. But already, Asmodeus is down and out for the count. Meanwhile, the professional with the stun baton rushes Baby/Rose.”
“Rose defends herself,” Ivy firmly stated.
“Parry, Baby~!” Harley called. “We’ve got a little hold-out baton of our own!”
“Hey, Dad? Do all of their rolls count as Teamwork rolls?” Alice asked.
“Not usually, no, but I might just allow it in combat,” I chuckled. “It’s an amusing idea. Sure. Harley, Ivy? I need both of you to roll Dexterity/Melee checks separately, and we’ll combine your successes for the actual result. Difficulty 7.”
“Score!” Harley pumped her fist. “2, 8, 7, 3!”
“… 1, 3, 7, 6,” Ivy winced. “Just two successes, then.”
“It’s enough,” I assured. “You manage to get your hold-out baton ready in time and parry the professional’s first swing. A flicker of electricity runs down your arm like static.”
“Riposte,” Ivy said. “5, 5, 8, 4.”
“Jab the fucker in the gut!” Harley cheered. “3, 9, 9, 7!”
“Four successes,” I tallied. “Little old you brings the big buff professional to his knees, gasping and wheezing for air. Hecate, the first professional is turning your way, but his stun gun seems to be recharging, reloading. You have time to react. What do you do?”
“Can I defend myself with magic?” She asked.
“Not easily,” I warned. “I’m going to give you a -1 penalty to your Arete dice pool for the chaos of sudden combat.”
“Well, I shall try regardless,” Hecate nobly declared. “THE Morrígan doesn’t have anything else at her disposal. She desperately calls upon the Force she wielded against her boss and frantically focuses on getting the man with the gun away from her. Rolling with 2 Arete instead of 3, I got… 2 and 7.”
“It’s enough,” I described. “But barely. The moment you lift your hands, the professional appears to anticipate your action. He steels himself as you thrust forward a wave of pure kinetic force. While he is pushed off his feet by your magic, he takes it in stride, rolling back to a ready position. His stun gun is back up and aimed right at you.”
“Oh, dear,” Hecate sighed. “Once more, but focusing my magic on pure defense?”
At my permissive nod, she nervously rolled, “9… and a 1…”
“No dice,” I declared. “As frantically as you try to muster some shield of Force in front of you, the professional is quicker and much more effective. His stun gun zaps once more. The ring of projected lightning strikes you dead in the chest, and you go down just like Asmodeus did. Roll to soak?”
“THE Morrígan has just one Stamina, so I doubt this will amount to much, but… 2,” Hecate answered.
I nodded, “Again, we’ll come back to that, but now, Baby/Rose is the only one standing. Action?”
“Give him a good ol’ Weapon Strike!” Harley called out. “3, 5, 5, 3… Shit.”
“3, 7, 1, 6…” Ivy winced as well. “Is that no successes at all?”
“I’m afraid so,” I confirmed. “You caught him off guard with the first parry and riposte, but he’s ready for the second when he rises back to his feet. Mid-strike, he catches your forearm with his, robbing you of all your momentum. Then, almost delicately, he taps his crackling stun baton right over your heart. Just like the others, you go down in an instant. Soak, please. This one won’t be a Teamwork roll.”
“Just the one d10, then,” Ivy sighed. “8. That’s good, at least.”
“All three of you are left unconscious and incapacitated by the short fight,” I explained. “That’s not much to be ashamed of, though, against professionals with advanced weaponry while you had a single baton to your name.”
“Scripted loss! We’re still undefeated, baby~!” Harley exclaimed.
“Yeah, something like that,” I freely admitted. “Now, as for damage… Grundy is left Hurt. That’s a -1 dice penalty for all actions… THE Morrígan is similarly Hurt. But Baby/Rose escapes as Bruised, which is to be noted on the character sheet, but there’s no dice penalty for that status.”
“Most significantly, though, all three of you have now been captured by the mysterious black-suited professionals… With that, we turn back to the other four, all stranded deep within the labyrinthine backhalls… Didi, Simmy? You’re both following Maria’s magical sense of direction, the call of heartbeats allowing you to, somewhat effectively, navigate the halls. Alice, Ophis? You two are lost as fuck,” I bluntly stated.
“Great. Just great,” Alice deadpanned. “There’s nothing we can do? Not even rely on Ophy’s spooky fortune-telling?”
“No, Ophy’s gift doesn’t work nearly as well while she’s awake,” I explained. “The best you can do is wander aimlessly through repeating and twisting hallways. Fortunately, Maria and Simmy will find you sooner rather than later. They’re the first sign of life you’ll see in this eerily benign maze. But then, the second will come even sooner after the first…”
‘Hello…?’ Maria calls out, her voice echoing without end.
‘Oh, thank fuck, people,” Alice sighs with palpable relief. ‘Over here! We’re kinda… lost…? Can I even call it that… Whatever, any help would be greatly appreciated!’
While Alice’s relief is obvious, Ophy simply stares at the other two women, ‘… Hello.’
‘… Hello,’ Simmy signs back.
Ophy nods as if she and Simmy have already shared all they need to be the best of friends. Simmy nods right back.
‘I’m afraid we’re somewhat lost as well,’ Maria says. ‘And somewhat… confused as to the nature of this place. Fascinated, to be sure, but certainly confused as well.’
‘Confusingly fascinating,’ Simmy signs.
‘Oh…’ Alice pauses. ‘Is she deaf?’
‘No, just mute,’ Simmy signs, and Maria translates.
‘Cool,’ Alice nods. ‘Well, I’m Alice. I just recently got the pint-sized oracle’s name, and now, we’re stuck together.’
‘… Ophy,’ The pint-sized oracle introduced herself.
‘Maria and Simmy,’ Maria returned the favor with a smile. ‘It seems to me that we’re ALL stuck together, now.’
‘This odd place is magic, correct?’ Simmy asks in sign. Maria repeats the question aloud.
Alice’s face goes carefully blank, ‘Magic? Magic’s not real. Don’t be ridiculous.’
‘… Liar,’ Ophy cuts through her blank-faced deception.
‘I don’t think there’s anything to hide here,’ Maria says. ‘I’ll even go first and freely admit I used magic to find you and Ophy.’
Alice whips her eyes onto Maria, ‘You did?’
‘I don’t know what else hearing phantom heartbeats could be,’ Maria titters.
‘Alright… Alright… Then, maybe, just maybe… I can hear spirit voices,’ Alice gives in and admits.
‘Fascinating,’ Maria is readily accepting of her confession. Simmy is already scribbling down notes in her notebook.
‘I just sleep… I just dream…’ Ophy adds.
“Unfortunately,” I cut in. “Your pleasant conversation is going to be cut short here. As you talk, new noises echo from down the impossible hallways. Before you can react, a group of people comes around an, at once, distant-and-not-so-distant corner to catch sight of you.”
“Unlike the professionals your characters haven’t seen,” I described with some humor. “This group looks almost like a SWAT team. They have body armor and automatic rifles and mercenary coordination. They draw closer, and the lead merc gives a sigh you can almost feel in your bones.”
‘God, what even is today… Patrol to Base, we’ve got some more stragglers. Yes, more. Different ones. Like a cracking dam, yeah. We’ll bring ‘em in. I won’t let any get away like Rogers did.’
“This isn’t a situation we can roll our way out of, is it?” Didi asked.
“Body armor, automatic rifles, and mercenary coordination,” I dryly repeated.
“Yeah, I think surrendering peacefully is in our best interest right now,” Alice sighed.
“Then, I have good news!” I said with a dramatic and excited clap. “All seven of you are now in the same place! You four are taken by the mercenary team to that same, strange dead end in the backhalls that Asmodeus ran from, and you find three others already there, slowly coming back to consciousness. Also there, you find a whole scientific operation full of advanced, expensive equipment and devices, a whole team of personnel — from white coats to black suits —, and a humming portal at the back of the room to match the door into the backhalls at the front. None of the people there look happy to see you.”
“Well, at least we’re together now,” Didi tried for the silver lining with a peaceful smile.
“Yes,” Alice stressed. “Captured together.”
“By what seems to be an organization of spooks and scientists,” Ivy added. “Everything here is a rather coordinated effort. Are there any signs or clues pointing toward the true identity of our captors?”
“Not as such,” I said. “That is, there are no discernible brands or logos to go off. No blatant evidence. But you do see plenty of advanced technology that blows clear past the accepted norm. The established portal at the back of the room, for example. It seems like magic but hums like machinery. And the level of organization and support, for another, clearly points to an entrenched establishment, be it corporate or governmental or something… else, something larger and darker.”
“It’s the Technocracy, isn’t it?” Alice asked, already sure of the answer. “This is what they’ve become since Barnabus’s time. A hidden world order with fingers in every pie, and the resources to match.”
“You can suspect that,” I nodded. “Even be rather certain of it, given the information your Alice has to work with. But there’s no outright proof. No sign that comes out and declares ‘Hello, we’re the Technocracy’. Not yet, at least.”
“What are they doing here, though?” Hecate wondered aloud. “In an otherwise unnoteworthy mall?”
“A mall with seven different names,” Harley reminded.
“A mall that impossibly steals and collects random things,” Ivy added.
“A mall… beyond these… backhalls…” Grundy said slowly.
“A mall with a heartbeat,” Didi said.
“Ah,” Hecate paused her consideration. “When you remember all of that, the mall does seem somewhat noteworthy. Some kind of study and observation post, then?”
I picked my description back up for more, “The white coats are clearly leading the operation. The three professionals and the team of mercs look to them for orders, otherwise content to stand around and earn their pay. They’re scientists and administrators, by appearance, most familiar with the expensive equipment being used here.
“Some of them, you see, bear expressions of insatiable curiosity that some of you might relate to. Others look stressed to their very cores. All are running about in a hive of activity, checking sensors, collating data, and avoiding the seven of you. Still, they can’t conceal their interest, and soon enough, the proverbial queen bee comes up to address the captives in the room.
“She’s another white coat, showing more stress and more curiosity than the rest. The mercs guarding you stand straighter at attention with her approach. Most of them seem… almost afraid of this overworked, middle-aged woman. She puts an unmarked device to her lips, takes a deep, lung-filling pull from it, and exhales a cloud of vapor. The action and whatever was in the vapor visibly steadies her, visibly fortifies her will to deal with you.”
‘Months,’ She mutters, mostly to herself. ‘Months without a single sign of life. Then, seven in one day, and an upheaving revelation, too. Of all the anomalous dimensions to research and explore, I chose the one connected to the real world… This was supposed to be a quiet and meaningless post. The managers… no, thoughts for later.’
‘Mrs. Johnson,’ The lead merc addresses her. ‘Other than these four, the patrol came back clear. No more loose ends after them.’
‘As far as you can tell,’ Mrs. Johnson cuts him with a sharp look. ‘This place has defied expectations and observation since the expedition’s first day. Only now are we finding out that there’s so much more beyond. It connects to the real world, Trent, and your men couldn’t find a trace of that phenomenon until now.’
‘To be fair, Ma’am, and with all due respect,’ Trent says. ‘Your side of things couldn’t either.’
Mrs. Johnson sighs, ‘You’re right about that much. But that’s a report I’ll have to make, not you. Before that, I need all the information we can gather here. These seven?’
‘Mages, Ma’am,’ Trent reports. ‘The first three for certain, at least. The other four… It’s likely. They were wandering the halls, but we looked, there was no sign of entry. Just up and appeared here, to my reckoning.’
‘Oi!’ Alice exclaims. ‘We’re right here!’
Mrs. Johnson shuts her up with a piercing gaze, ‘So I see. We’ll get to you, child. Let the responsible adults speak first.’
‘You can’t just kidnap us!’ Baby shouts. ‘I know, like, four different lawyers!’
Mrs. Johnson turns her gaze onto Baby/Rose, and snorts, ‘You have no context for why that statement is painfully hilarious. We’d eat your little lawyers alive, Miss.’
‘Perhaps we could come to an accord?’ Maria suggests. ‘Or at least, have a polite conversation here? There’s no need for any more violence.’
‘That, I agree with,’ Mrs. Johnson hummed. ‘There is no more need for violence. Mostly because you seven are in no position for it. Make no mistake, you fall under my authority now. No one will miss you. No one will even think to look. You could be a homeless vagrant or the president’s daughter, and that little reality wouldn’t change a bit. As far as you need to be concerned, this is my domain.’
‘That… is ominous… but expected,’ Asmodeus groans.
‘A bit of wisdom to go with your brawn, big man,’ Trent nods with begrudging approval.
‘So this is where we die?’ THE Morrígan asks. ‘I REFUSE!’
‘Good for you,’ Mrs. Johnson says, unaffected by the declaration. ‘Not that your opinion would count for much if it came to that. Fortunately for you, my command of this expedition didn’t come with acute authority to order uncontested executions. I could still give the word, of course… but I find myself unwilling to deal with the paperwork that would come after.’
‘No executions, then?’ Rose asks, trying for nonchalant and failing. ‘That’s… good.’
‘But then, what do you want with us?’ Simmy signs her question.
Mrs. Johnson doesn’t even flinch at the change in communication method, ‘Answers, for one. Context. It seems our mission has only been exploring half of this… anomaly. The information you have can change that. For another, we can’t have you running free after witnessing all of this. And lastly, if there’s truth to Trent’s suspicion, more Awakened are always useful…’
‘I won’t work for the New World Order! Fuck Reason!’ Alice snaps.
Mrs. Johnson raises an eyebrow her way, ‘Now, that’s a telling choice of words. Where did you hear that, hmm?’
Alice clams up in an instant, but still glares. Mrs. Johnson examines her for a moment longer, ‘Hmm. Well, no matter for now. We’ll know eventually, one way or another. ‘Reason’ will lay you bare, child. First and more pressing, however, how did each of you end up here?’
‘We fell…’ Ophy answers freely, unworried.
‘As did we,’ Maria can’t help but chuckle.
‘Your goons abducted us!’ Baby shouts.
‘I was… just resting my head… for the night,’ Asmodeus explains.
‘The mall is my domain,’ THE Morrígan scoffs. ‘Where else would I be?’
‘The mall…’ Mrs. Johnson’s brow furrows, the first crack in her composure coming as she mutters to herself. ‘An overlap? An intersection? A nexus…? Yes… That’s a worrying frontside to deal with. Rather hard to completely cover up. I’ll have to put in the request for a Fixer team… Joy. There goes just about all of my credit.’
‘A fixer team?’ Simmy curiously asks.
‘Nothing for you to concern yourself with,’ Mrs. Johnson waves her off. ‘Now, how long have all of you been… Awake?’
‘Awake…?’ Ophy turns the word over on her tongue. ‘I’m still asleep.’
‘Noted,’ Mrs. Johnson says flatly.
‘I don’t know what you’re talking about,’ Alice turns her nose up at the question.
‘Also noted.’
‘A few days, I suppose?’ Maria’s answer is surprisingly honest. ‘A man sought his dying respite in my arms. Everything’s been slightly different since then.’
‘Thank you for being forthright.’
‘Ever since I learned there were more questions to ask,’ Simmy signs.
‘Very good. Perhaps there are more answers to be had for a curious and logical mind like yours,’ Mrs. Johnson seems to like that answer.
‘Always… in a way…’ Asmodeus carefully reveals.
‘The truth is always hardest to hide from those fated to drift.’
‘Since never!’ Baby declares.
‘Since the twin case,’ Rose contradicts her a moment later.
‘… Wonderful. An investigator.’
THE Morrígan’s answer comes last, but certainly not least, ‘The revelation came to me this morn’, on wings of change and transcendence. Already, I know it to be the truth I was missing all along.’
‘… And a fanatic. Unfortunate.’
Mrs. Johnson shakes her head to herself, ‘Still, nothing too egregious. Plenty of clay to be molded. And that recruitment bonus will look very nice in my account… Yes, as always, pass it up the line, take what credit I can, and wipe my hands of the rest.’
‘Orders, Ma’am?’ Trent asks.
‘We’ll be taking them back with us,’ Mrs. Johnson says. ‘Seven Awakened Mages is too good a boon to refuse. Hand them off to… Peters…’
She trailed off, muttering to herself, ‘Yes, Peters. He’s competent enough, and he owes me a few favors. He was assigned to that one Class B Heist, wasn’t he…? I’m sure he won’t refuse a few disposable assets for that business, and I’ll push him to still give me the proper credit.’
Shaking her head, she focuses back on Trent, ‘We’re going to hand them up the ladder and worry about our actual job here: cleaning up this mess of an expedition. The Order will find some use for them…’
“Together, the seven of you will eventually be taken through the portal to a strange, ordered, and oppressive place,” I narrated. “But I’ll leave that for the next game night.”
Alice, leaning forward in her seat, suddenly jumped and looked at me with bewildered eyes, “What?! You’re just going to leave us on that cliffhanger?! In the hands of the enemy?!”
“We can’t sit here and play forever,” I pointed out with some amusement. “The sun is coming up.”
“But-! But-!” Alice sputtered, warring with her eagerness to continue.
“Patience, little one,” Didi soothed. “It was a good first session. And we already have something to look forward to for the next.”
“I’ll say~,” Harley leered. “I liked the sound of that heist business~!”
“[Technocracy:]” Simmy dinged. “[Request for more information…?]”
“Patience,” I repeated Didi’s advice with a chuckle. “It’ll come. I think we can count tonight as a success. Now, your characters are established and together. Next session, the real adventures can begin, I promise.”
Alice groaned but accepted the reality of needing some sleep after a long night of roleplaying, “… Fine. But don’t keep us waiting! I’ll be waiting to fight the power from within!”
“And until then, you’ll live,” I smirked.
“Maybe… But Alice the Damnation won’t,” She huffed.
I simply chuckled, “Don’t worry yourself too much. There’s always another story to tell in the Dead End…”
IIIII
[AN: … Man. Game Night chapters are loooooonnnngggg. There’s just so much that needs to be said to get the concept across effectively lol. I love it, but it’s certainly a lot of work on my end. The next Dead End chapters won’t be Game Nights, I’m pretty sure. But they’ll definitely return for more sessions soon enough, though.
I thought this was an interesting point to end the first session and start a ‘Chronicle’. The gang’s characters have been taken and set to be forcefully recruited into the Technocracy. But they won’t be full-on ‘Technocrats’. They’re essentially a Technocracy Suicide Squad. It leaves room for some fun drama and rebellion and plot arcs and such, while also giving them access to interesting missions that they probably wouldn’t get without being taken from their normal lives. And of course, a heist will be coming up first. Who doesn’t like a good heist?
Next, however, I’m going to be returning to ‘Ser Ciaphas’. Hopefully with some shorter chapters lol. A KYBERPUNK return is also on the horizon eventually. We’ll just have to see how my muse plays out. Lastly, I’m keeping ‘The Grind’ in the back of my mind due to the unsatisfying place I left off there. But that’ll likely be a background effort.
While a brainworm idea might come along and derail all of this (it be like that sometimes lol), for now, my immediate agenda looks like — 1: Ser Ciaphas, 2: Dead End, 3: KYBERPUNK, 4: The Grind. Hopefully, a little something for everyone to look forward to :]
IIIII
Bonus Pics (sauce below)
Comments
bleachballed
It's still up, as far as I can see. I did forget to add it to the 'collection', though. That's fixed now. If you still can't see it (https://www.patreon.com/posts/gothams-dead-end-134574612)
MrX
Did you skip a chapter, did one get deleted or just fumble with the numbers? I don't se a Ch 80.
QuantumServer
Thanks for the chapter!
