Session outline: Session 7

Plot points/Scenes

Cassiopeia and Hallia

Part way through the night out (last session), Cassiopeia went back to campus, and went the AdSoc house, where she spent some time with Hallia.
Let Charlie decide the vibe between them.
If the vibe is conversational, Hallia might reveal:

• She is from Wattford, int he north of Taurinestein
• She lives with adoptive parents who are wood elves
• She has been told that her parents gave her up willingly - they were suffering from addiction and being evicted from their home
• She is a History major, and while she loves history she's having to be careful in lectures, because the stuff that gets taught in schools and universities isn't telling the full story of a lot of events
• Hallia has a collection of obscure books, many of which are first hand accounts of historical events, some of which are written by authors you have heard of, but you've heard them spoken of as conspiracy theorists and crackpots

Hallia will ask Cassiopeia what she knows of Vedalken history. She gives Cassiopeia an old, charred book, titled "Unrealised Inventions of Mishra the Magnificent", which she explains is a copy of a book by the greatest Vedalken mind of all, Mishra. Mishra was an incredible Artificer, inventor and adventurer. He was a leading force in the Vedalken community for a long time. This book is one of very few books retrieved from a book burning centuries ago. Almost all record of Vedalken life and work was erased. Only half of the book remains, and those pages that do remain are themselves badly damaged, leaving only around half of each page readable. There are diagrams, and notes written in a form of shorthand or code that is indecipherable to you.
Hallia says to look at the last page of the book. It is almost completely destroyed, except for a small strip at the top of the page that reads (in Vedalken) "The World..."
This page contained Mishra's notes on The Worldrazer, the device that could have brought peace to the world, but instead plunged it into chaos.
Hallia asks if Cassiopeia ever questions what she's been told about Mishra, and about Vedalken history. Are we really expected to just accept that the Vedalken were simply wiped out by adventurers? Almost driven to extinction? It's very convenient that the government, who want to control the people, have placed anarchy as the bad guy in the story they tell of the Vedalken. She says she wants to find the rest of that book - maybe it will help uncover the truth.
Hallia likes:

• People with stong morals and principles, who don't waver from them
• People who stand up for others against adversity
• Cooking extremely geometrically perfect dishes

Milton and the Cannon Street Cobras

Last time out, the gang went to Ashbluff's Autos to talk to the Ashbluffs about their dealings with the Cannon Street Cobras. They then left a note on the windscreen of their car, challenging them to a street race, before cutting the break lines, causing a huge crash.
Milton Ashbluff has a beat up car that he'll start working on. Elena Heathersage is building an engine that they can use. This storyline will chill for a while as the Cobras figure out who the "C Block 4" are.

The disappearance of Custard Sneeler

If the gang choose to help Elroy

There's not loads they can do at the moment. When they went to the Tabernacle, it was a bit of a dead end. They could:

• Put up flyers and start a campaign, try to see if anyone has seen Custard
• Visit an animal shelter and see if they've seen Custard
• Go back to the Tabernacle of Torm to investigate further

If they go back to the Tabernacle, they could talk to one of the sisters/priests about Elroy and Custard. Here's what they'll know:

• They remember Elroy coming back to the Tabernacle time and again to ask about Custard, getting increasingly agitated each time, increasingly dejected, and descending into madness and anger, until one day he simply stopped coming
• They tell the gang that there's an animal shelter they take strays to if any come to the Tabernacle, or if anyone brings an animal to them
• The animal shelter don't have records of a dog by the name of Custard, but the person they speak to mentions that there are a number of organizations/gangs that are on the lookout for animals to sell, sometimes to homes, sometimes into horrible fighting rings. If the owner of the dog hasn't seen him for 4 years, it's not likely that he will again

If the gang choose not to help Elroy

Nothing happens. Custard is still out there. The long game is that Custard was taken by a gang, and thrown into dog fighting. He managed to escape, but his mind was warped by the training he was forced through, and he has no memory of his former life. He has become The Bat, a masked avenger who is brutally taking down the gangs that he was mixed up in. The gang will find out about The Bat through the papers.

The incident at the science block

Last time out, the gang did other things, so Amira Tipett will have been snooping around, looking for clues. She'll try to talk to Domenica about what she's found.
At the beginning of the session, students are called to the Theatre for a message from Xuk Scargolg, Dean of the University:

Good morning students. I'm sure you're all by now aware that we have cordoned off an area of the science block. There have, understandably, been a number of rumours spreading across the campus, so I would like to set the record straight. There was an incident in the Science block, during a Chemistry experiment. The experiment was being conducted by members of staff, no students were present. A full investigation is underway as to the safety precautions being taken by the staff. The members of staff involved are currently still coming to work as normal, however, if we see fit we will take any and all appropriate action against those members of staff. I urge you all to remain calm, not take part in rumour spreading, and let us conduct our investigation without any distractions or interruptions. Thank you all for coming, and have a good day.

If the gang choose to investigate

They could talk to:

• Amira, who can help them figure out what to do next
• Talk to Raleigh about any movements of explosives or documents around/in/out of the city
• Talk to science students and/or faculty about the Head of Chemistry, and what they may have been up to

They could find out:

• The Head of Chemistry has been working a lot of late nights recently
• They've been keeping their office locked very diligently
• They've been clocked coming to work in the same clothes as the day before on a few occasions, generally looking dishevelled, and slightly erratic in their behaviour
• The heads of Chemistry, Physics and Engineering seem to be talking a lot, leaving work together etc

If they find out loads, the Head of Chemistry could fall ill, setting up an assassination by the govt. Potentially Head of Physics and Engineering too. Perhaps not yet.

If the gang don't investigate

Nothing happens this session, but something starts bubbling next session.

The first job

While Cassiopeia spent time with Hallia Vedalken, she explained the society's next job.

The target

Vern Hamlin, a candidate for the council office of one of Caffeinehagen's boroughs. He's a member of the Investor's Guild, and runs a fledgling hedge fund - Alpha Authority. Vern is a very vocal capitalist, the self proclaimed "prophet of profit", and his brash, dog eat dog style has made him a quite famous, but very divisive personality.
He's been transitioning into a political career recently, forming his own "Alpha Party", based on the mantra that those who are "Alpha" enough to take what they want from life should take their rightful place as the leaders of the world. During his early campaigning, Vern has been flaunting extreme wealth in his public appearances, and a recent display of wealth has left many questioning where his sudden wealth has come from, and the AdSoc wanting to cut him down to size a little.

What we're stealing

The High Tusk Locket - an ancient heirloom from a community of Loxodon from Taurinestein. Vern recently offered the struggling community a ridiculous amount of money for the locket - a simple chain from which hangs various charms that Loxodon master craftsmen painstakingly sculpted from ivory taken from the tusks of their fallen leaders - traditionally worn by the current leader of the community as a reminder of the past and the importance of maintaining the community going into the future. In a public display of wealth and power, Vern bought the locket from the leader of the Loxodon community to give to his wife.

Where it is

In Vern's mansion at the Latte cliffs.

Other interesting information

Vern is holding a rally for his “Alpha Party” this evening, in Capital Square, the financial hub of Caffeinhagen.

What they could do...

They'll need to scope out Vern's house, to find out entrances, exits, rough floorplan, security detail, and make a plan.

Parent Plot

Master Plot