One of the best ever gaming sessions we had was in the Mage game. We were breaking into the Technocracy headquarters to retrieve an artifact. It was a definite "are you really sure you want to do this" moment and I remember the tension increasing with each roll we had to make and every step we took. One fuck up and we would all have to hand over our character sheets. It was a watershed moment. The tension wasn't near as high in the last Dresden game but I started to get that same feeling, even if it was just a little bit. It feels like we are right on the edge of a chasm and will we fall off or manage to jump it? What a wonderful feeling! I love it! It means that things are going to get fun, messy, chaotic, dangerous, and exhilarating! I won't give any spoilers but will just get right into it.
The game picked up a month later (the 28th of October) and Shade, Neil, and Brandon had all been busy- in their own ways. Brandon spent his month working on his shop and working on Skip. With his newly forged contacts, Brandon was moving into the realm of magical item buying and selling. The time not spent doing that was spent on stabilizing Skip, helping him deal with his grief, and healing their relationship. Neil kept up his buying spree and announced the grand opening of Fine Detailing and Car Wash. Shade kept busy as well. She delved deeper into the Freemont Experience. It had expanded fairly rapidly and she was looking for a few specific people and businesses. It took some time but she was able to get the information she needed. She also found out a hugely surprising fact. Some of the people she talked to were now changelings.
It was three days before the much anticipated Skavis/Malvora wedding and things were all a tizzy. Brandon received a letter at his shop. The only item inside the envelope was the seven of spades. Understanding the message, he went to visit Mason that night. After going inside, he asked Mason what was going on. Mason told Brandon that he had called him there for something specific. He wanted Brandon to find his successor. Brandon was stunned. Mason went on to explain that during the fight with Sly and the zombies something in his mind had broke. He was in pain and no longer wanted to continue living. He also tasked Brandon with filling out the rest of the Spades. After a few moments of thought, Brandon said that he might have a few ideas and told Mason about Wyatt. Mason said that he would leave it to Brandon as he no longer trusted his own judgment. He then spoke of the Board. Only Uri and Locke knew for certain about the Spades and only Uri knew that Mason was the Ace. He warned Brandon not to trust any of the Board members and to keep the Board out of Spade business. Brandon swore on his power to do as Mason asked.
That same night, Shade and Max were at home eating dinner when Max asked Shade who Wyatt was. After a slight hesitation, Shade answered that Wyatt was a friend. She knew him through Brandon and Neil. Max went on to say that he had passed Wyatt in front of her shop and he had said to say hi to her. Knowing that the subject was not going to be dropped, Shade said that it was obvious that Max had "looked" at Wyatt with his talent and knew he was special. She went on and explained to Max that Wyatt was one of those things that were bound to come up between them that needed to be kept secret. Wyatt was very, very special and the three of them were intent on keeping him under the radar. Max understood thankfully. Their talk turned to magic and people in general. Shade was actually surprised that Max wanted and valued her opinions and insights about the major players.
Neil's night turned out to be anything but quiet as well. He was in one of the smaller casinos when a very attractive woman came up to him. She seemed nervous as she pressed a special poker chip into his hand. Melissa (as she was named) told him that she had been sent to Neil in the hopes that he could help her. Some people were chasing her. Neil asked if they were following her right now. She wasn't sure. Neil sprang into action. The first order of business was to get her somewhere safe. As they left the casino, Neil noticed a couple of guys watching them. Watching turned into following as Neil and Melissa took off on his motorcycle. The chase was over pretty quickly. The driver of the SUV couldn't keep up with Neil. The two of them reached one of Neil's safe houses and he got Melissa settled. Neil told her to write down everything she had done for the past couple of weeks. He wanted absolutely everything. Melissa agreed to do so and asked if she could call her mother at least. Neil told her not to and that he would contact her mother to let her know that Melissa was safe. As Melissa settled in, Neil called a few of his guys. He wanted them to check out Melissa's apartment.
In the middle of all this, Neil's phone rang. It was Brandon wanting to meet up to discuss company business. The two of them met up at a nearby dive bar. After getting drinks, Brandon told Neil about his meeting with Mason. They sat there for awhile discussing the ramifications of Mason's demise and the future of the Spades. They agreed that some restructuring was in order. The Ace, whomever it would eventually be, would still be the head but there would be a "court" consisting of the King, Queen, and Jack that would act as a check. The night passed without any more problems cropping up.
The next saw Brandon doing Brandon stuff and Neil doing Neil stuff. For Brandon that meant work as usual. Neil stopped by to talk with Melissa. She gave him the list of her activities. The only incident that stood out to Neil was a fight that had taken place at her job. Shade's day was busy. She had made an appointment to see Phillip. Arriving at Legends, she was ushered into his office. After the hello's, Shade got to the point. She told Phillip that she wanted the name of the person Sly had referred to after the fight. Phillip flat out refused. Shade pulled out the information she had gathered in the past month and told Phillip that the information she had would ruin Freemont. If Phillip wouldn't give her the name, she would give the information to someone who could use it. Nonplussed, Philip replied that he had given his word and that he couldn't give her the name. He wasn't angry. He seemed more distracted and hyped-up then anything. He then said his goodbye's to Shade and said he was sorry he couldn't help her. Shade replied that she was sorry for what she had to do. After a quick call to Max to let him know that she was okay (I don't think Max trusts Phillip one bit), Shade then called Skavis to see about a visit. Skavis told her to come over. She did so. Once there and after the usual sexual innuendos were thrown about, Shade got down to business. All the information she had to take down the Fey's influence in Freemont she gave to Frederick. She told him it was her wedding gift to him. Skavis was very pleased. The rest of the day passed uneventfully for the three.
That night Brandon called Shade and asked to get together. They needed to talk. Shade agreed and Brandon said he would pick her up. After a bit of a drive, Brandon and Shade pulled up to Mason's house. recognizing from her earlier visit, Shade asked Brandon just what the hell was going on. Brandon told her he would explain inside. They entered the house and Brandon told Shade about the Spades and everything that they did. He then asked if she would be interested in joining the group. If she was, they would have to Soulgaze each other. Of course Shade said yes and, after the Soulgaze, she took the Queen as her card.
That is where the session ended. See what I mean about the tension starting to build? All three are Spades now and all are in the Court. Mason is going to suicide and what then? There is the wedding coming up and everyone knows from past experience what that means- something is going to happen. Phillip is not himself at all. Frankly, at the mention of blackmail, he should have gone into a rage and then there is the whole adult human into changeling thing. That does not happen. How is Phillip doing it? And what about Melissa. How does she play into it? So much coming together. I cannot wait for Sunday!
