Urban Shadows: Vegas Blood Feud II

DexCon 2015: 4 July 2015: 8pm: Urban Shadows: Vegas Blood Feud

I had originally signed up for Witch: Road to Lindisfarne, run by Jeff Collyer, but that didn't meet its minimum. Only one other person showed up, JoAnn Clarke, and she decided that this was the universe's way of telling her she should get some editing work done that night. Jeff talked to John Farish who let both of us into his game.

• GM: John Farish
• ???: Thaddeus: Wizard. His familiar is Pookie the Rabbit (played by the GM)
• Me: Ash: Vampire
• Jeff Collyer: Jurgen: Fae. His Monarch was Skadi, an ice giantess
• Katherine Formaran <?>: Cassie: Oracle
• ???: Donovan Faust: Tainted -) Daughter Karen

This session had the same premise as the previous one: Bastion the head Vampire in Las Vegas was dead. But, the session went in a very different direction.

From my character sheet:

Ash's gender was ambiguous, and the vampire was Middle Eastern, wore concealing clothing, and had a feral demeanor. Ash wasn't quite as full of personality as Kami in the previous game, but that was all right -- others more than picked up any slack.

• Stats: Blood +2, Heart +1, Mind 0, Spirit -1
• Factions: Mortality +1, Night +2, Power -1, Wild 0
• Who are you? A lost childe of the night.
• How long have you been in the city? 5 years?
• Gear: A secluded apartment, a comfortable car, a smart phone, and a Walther PPK (2-harm close reload small)

I chose the moves Irresistible, which meant that a failure to Persuade an NPC counted as a partial success but with a higher cost than usual, and Keep Your Friends Close, which let me roll with Blood instead of Mind when Figuring Someone Out by supplying their vice.

Debts

• Pookie helps Cassie understand her visions. Cassie owes Pookie (and, perhaps, Thaddeus) 2 debts.
• Jurgen is keeping something hidden for Ash. Ash owes him 1 debt. It's Bastion's hard drive.
• Cassie is feeding Ash. Ash owes her 2 debts.
• Thaddeus owes 1 debt to Cassie for keeping his demons at bay
• Thaddeus owes Jurgen 2 debts -- Jurgen is his go to guy for protection.
• Donovan is protecting Thaddeus from Donovan's Dark Power. Thaddeus owes him 2 debts.
• Cassie had a dire prophecy about Donovan. She owes him 1 debt.
• Cassie broke an important promise to Jurgen. She owes him 2 debts.
• Jurgen owes Ash 1 debt. Ash helped Jurgen with a problem: Jurgen loved playing the slot machines for tokens, which he understood equated somehow to wealth, but beyond that, Jurgen didn't quite understand current currency. Ash smoothed over the problems arising from this.
• Ash keeps Thaddeus's demons at bay, ironically, by keeping Thaddeus from gambling. Thaddeus owes Ash 1 debt.
• Cassie is trying to save Donovan and suffering for it. He owes her 2 debts.
• Donovan owes 3 debts to his Demonic Patron.
• Karina, a vampire NPC, and Bastion's second in command, owes Cassie 1 debt. Cassie's advice was helping her.
• Jurgen entrusted someone with a dangerous task -- he'd asked Donovan to set him up with some cute girl -- some hot demon chick. Donovan succeeded, so Jurgen owes him 1 debt.
• Donovan bears responsibility for Ash becoming a vampire. He owes Ash 1 debt. (I forget what the story was on that.)
• Donovan owes someone 1 debt for keeping a secret. My notes are hard to read here, to the point where I can't tell whether that was Thaddeus or Ash.

Next, we decided which PC our PC trusted least, and that PC's player created a rumor about a faction other than our PC's.

Donovan trusted Thaddeus least. Thaddeus's player made up a rumor about Mortality: The Hoover Dam is a prison for monsters.

Cassie trusted Jurgen least. Jurgen's player made up a rumor about the Wyld: Dragons have a hundred year plan for taking over the world.

Donovan: That's kind of fast, isn't it?

Cassie: It's _down_ to a hundred years.

That is, it had been in the works for millennia, no doubt, but this was the final phase.

Jurgen trusted Thaddeus least. Thaddeus's player created a rumor about Night: The Gold Coast has a ghostly security system in place.

Ash trusted Donovan least. Donovan's player created a rumor about Power: Wizards, Oracles, et cetera are saying that something Big and Bad will destroy Las Vegas in the next month.

Thaddeus trusted Cassie least. Cassie's player made up a rumor about Mortality: Mortality has been experimenting with making Vampires of their own, under Hoover Dam.

Oracle Foretellings: Cassie's player got 7+2=9, which was a better result than I got in the previous game.

Cassie kept her visions at bay, sometimes with sex, but more often by watching a whole lot of really trashy television programs.

Jurgen was part of Ash's Vampire Web.

Unbeknownst to Jurgen: The demon he was sleeping with, thanks to Donovan, was actually an efreet -- and Jurgen may have killed her, likely by accident, as he's basically a frost giant. She has not been seen since that night.

We opened with Cassie working as card dealer. She was dealing cards at the Gold Coast. Karina had gotten her the job and now wanted to see the Oracle.

When Cassie arrived, Karina explained the problem, i. e., Bastion was dead, and his body was missing, except for the head. Cassie noticed that there was less security than one might expect, given Bastion's head. Reluctantly, she used her psychometry on it.

Cassie's Psychometry: What secrets or mysteries has his head been privy to?

She received a vision of Bastion flipping through pictures of younger vampires. Then, she felt his puzzlement. Then, his head was flying through the air, and she saw 2 people, through his eyes, upside down (from her perspective):

• Man with wild beard, wearing a robe
• Smaller, twitchy, nervous man next to him. There were flashes of light in his eyes, and he pulled the body over his shoulder.

Karina: What would it cost to get you and your friends to get them or bring them to me?

Cassie: Not to be difficult, and I apologize if you think I'm being difficult... But he killed Bastion and took the body out of here.

Karina noted that this was why she'd suggested Cassie get help from her friends.

Cassie: Not sure you'd call them "friends"...

Karina: Allies? Puppets? Playthings?

Cassie: Let me make some phone calls and watch some really bad tv.

And they agreed that Karina would owe Cassie a second debt.

Cassie made calls and texts.

Cassie's text: Anyone interested in a job for Karina?

GM: What are folks doing when you get the text?

Donovan was on a job.

Bboomboomboom!

Terrified NPC: All right! You can have it! Just leave my house alone!

Ash went to find Jurgen. Casino staff had thrown Jurgen out and taken his shiny metal discs. So, when Ash asked if he was interested in helping Karina, Jurgen had just one question.

Jurgen: Will there be Shiny Metal Discs?

Ash: Was it the Gold Coast you got thrown out of?

Jurgen: Yes.

Ash: Yes, there will be Shiny Medal Discs.

Jurgen: I'm in!

I think Ash texted "OMW".

Thaddeus: I'm in.

Cassie: Actually, the text is for Pookie.

She quickly brought the others up to speed.

Jurgen: We'll put the head in a boat -- set it on fire.

Someone, possibly Jurgen: You've got the head? Can I see it?

My notes indicate that he might have been playing football with it in the bar in which they were meeting. But Jurgen did have the presence of mind to ask about the men who had killed Bastion.

Jurgen: Were they small, like dwarves?

Cassie: Kinda, one -- and there's lightning in his eyes.

Someone, possibly Thaddeus, knew that the big guy was Abraham Zeitler, a wizard.

Jurgen: Have I punched this dwarf before?

GM: Very likely.

Jurgen (I think): Well, he has lightning in his eyes, so that narrows it down.

The smaller man was Benny.

My notes say:

Breaking Bad
the Freaky Wizard

And I think someone speculated about what Bastion's head might be used for.

Pookie: Also, the heart has a lot of different uses. <CHOMP> I like the ghost peppers.

The next question was: Where's Benny? I think this was thrown to the players, as I seem to have answered it. Or possibly, that was using the move Keep Your Friends Close.

Ash: In a strip club.

Cassie: I'm totally going to the strip club.

Ash: Oh yes, of course.

Cassie: Easy pickings.

Donovan: Wait, Bennie's in a strip club? That changes everything!

Dialogue whose context I forget:

Ash: Okay, those rumors are false.

Cassie: I know.

Donovan to Pookie: No talking to the cops this time!

The strip club was called The Golden Thong.

Thaddeus: Is there anything in this town that isn't gold?

Jurgen: You punch the dwarves hard enough, gold comes out.

Ash: I played that game.

Jurgen (delighted): They made a game out of it?

Ash: I'll show you after.

They spotted Benny. Jurgen threw a keg at Benny. This did Harm, knocking Benny off his feet.

However, Jurgen was in a really bad spot: the bouncers were closing in on him. I see I drew a map:

   Ash -) Remy
   
        Jurgen
Bodyguard    Bodyguard
        Donovan

Donovan drew a pistol.

Cassie: Gentlemen!

Donovan: I think we should all calm down now.

This was an attempt to Persuade an NPC.

Bouncer: Your friend's gonna have to pay for that keg, and if you're gonna keep that gun out, we're gonna have to ask you to step outside.

Jurgen Let It Out, a move that boils down to using magic, and the player marked corruption. I've no idea what the context was. I also don't know what my note "Cameras?" meant.

Benny: Look -- I'll answer your questions, but I don't want to be anywhere near Karina.

Cassie went out, I think for a smoke. There was a homeless guy hanging around the back door, and something felt wrong about him. Cassie threw him a dollar in quarters.

Cassie: That's all I got.

The man growled at her.

Cassie: No worries, man -- I just forgot my cigarettes.

He wasn't mollified and seemed to get a lot hairier and bulkier.

Cassie: You look frustrated. I'm frustrated. Why don't we make each other happy instead?

GM: And Fade to Black.

There may have been a roll involved, likely to Persuade an NPC, but clearly, she had been successful.

GM: I assume next time we see Cassie, she's looking a little less stressed?

Cassie: Ooh, good stamina. I give him my card.

And he was given a name. This was now Nick, the werewolf boytoy.

Meanwhile, Benny explained that he'd owed a debt to Abraham Zeitler, and this was taking the body to Westgate. My notes say something about a truck in the garage, which I think may have been where the body was.

Donovan gave tokens to Jurgen and pointed him to the Coke machine.

Cassie decided to Skim the Surface, and the player rolled a 10, allowing a number of questions.

Who is Benny protecting? Himself. He's terrified of Karina.

Why is he keeping secrets? The rumors about vampires at the Hoover Dam are true -- the Russo brothers are involved.

What is his hidden pain? He'd broken up with his girlfriend, and she'd then gotten killed after Donovan set her up with some guy. (Why yes, yes this was the efreet woman whom Donovan had set up with Jurgen.)

Who did Abraham threaten to turn Benny over to if he didn't pay his debt? Benny's Patron, for Benny was a Tainted / demon who was not obeying his Patron.

The group now called Karina. She wanted them to deal lethally with Zeitler. Jurgen wanted to know if he punched Zeitler, would there be gold?

Karina: If you punch him enough, _I'll_ drop you some gold.

Jurgen: I'm in!

Donovan wanted it in writing that 2 debts would be taken off from what he owed his Patron.

Karina: You don't care who takes them on?

Donovan: I want _you_ to take them on.

This required a roll to Persuade an NPC, and my notes say the player had 3+1=4.

Karina: I'll take on _1_ debt.

Donovan: What _exactly_ do you want?

Karina: Well, I'd like Zeitler's head. If you get the rest of him...

She said she could pull strings with a SWAT Team to get the group some body armor.

Donovan negotiated that one debt would be taken off what he owed his Patron, taken on by Karina, and Karina would put Donovan's daughter under her protection. Donovan's player marked Corruption for the character.

GM: What does your character want?

Cassie: I want to be sterilized. I want to have NO kids.

Karina: Y'know that's covered by your medical plan -- by your Brand New Health Insurance Plan.

Donovan: I just got her to take a debt off and protect my daughter, and you just want not to have a bun in the oven!

Cassie: We _all_ have different needs.

Donovan: You've never had children.

Cassie: You've never had visions.

Me: Ash wants to be on the inside.

Karina: We have an opening for head of security (as they hear old head being killed...)

And a SWAT van with body armor for the group arrived.

Jurgen: Hello, Harold.

I think this meant that Harold was the driver and Jurgen knew him.

Thaddeus contacted Zeitler and convinced his fellow wizard to meet him and do some kind of ritual to... well, I forget what, but I think Zeitler owed him a favor and Thaddeus made up a lie about a book he had.

Ash told Cassie to hide when the fighting started.

Jurgen: Hiding does not get you dates with a Valkyrie.

Ash: Does she _want_ a date with a Valkyrie?

Jurgen: _Everyone_ wants a date with a Valkyrie.

Cassie: I can't argue with that.

Thaddeus needed a Place of Power at which to meet Zeitler. Where were Las Vegas's Places of Power?

Pookie: If this were New York -- but this place isn't _old_ enough to have a Place of Power

I think Donovan did something to find out where and rolled a 7, and the question of where a place of power might be -- or at least, where a suitable place to trap and kill Zeitler might be.

Thaddeus's Player: Hoover Dam?

This morphed into the Tourist Center at Hoover Dam

Cassie's Oracle: Something Terrible is About to Happen! She got +1 Ongoing if dealing with it.

Zeitler arrived and Thaddeus pretended they were on the same side.

Donovan took his demonic form: Solid Black Glossy Obsidian from Head to Toe. Feline tail and claws, and spikes at elbows and knees.

My notes say: 8 +2 Blood +1 <dag? daz?> +1 held for DF's <dislj?>

I think the short version of this is that Donovan did some damage to Zeitler.

Ash dealt 2 Harm to Zeitler and took away the wizard's ability to run. That is, in combat, one can sometimes take something from an enemy, and this is intended to be interpreted fairly broadly.

Jurgen threw a spear. Alas, the player rolled 5+1=6, and the spear hit Thaddeus!

Fortunately for Thaddeus, the SWAT armor absorbed the damage, and the botched attack misled Zeitler.

Zeitler: They're after the book too!

It was obvious to him that the demon, fae, and vampire were trying to kill both Zeitler and Thaddeus.

Cassie got a 5 to shoot with a handgun. I'm not sure what that did.

Jurgen summoned an ice elemental atop something firey, possibly something conjured by Zeitler. I'm a little vague about what all of that was about. Donovan was in a bad spot, though, charging through to fire and ice. But, ultimately, and with help from the others, Ash ripped Zeitler's head off.

Cassie used Psychometry on the head, I think, rolling a 12. The Oracle realized that Karina had hired Zeitler to kill Benny (this may or may not be a typo for Bastion), and she also realized where the evidence was. This suited Cassie -- she didn't really care what the truth was so long as Karina wasn't trying to kill her.

And, I think we had final closing shots of the PCs, ending with Jurgen happily playing at the slot machine, spear by his side.