What a gaming session. It only took place over a few hours but what a wild ride. Things are heating up- literally. You know, I am seeing a very common thread in this and previous games. Something or some things are going to burn. And it usually involves my character. In the Bastet game both my house and office burned down. In the Mage game I burned down an abandoned building. In the New Orleans Dresden game my shop exploded and Jason's character almost died in a burning hotel. Earlier in the Las Vegas game, Brandon accidentally burned his shop down. Now, in Las Vegas, fire has struck again. Just so our GM doesn't get nervous, I loved it. Lots of action and I was able to pull out the spontaneous Evocation idea I had been holding. Plus it opens the chance to put a few ideas I have into play. I know that Neil has been quiet these past couple of games but that will change as well. I will need all his help (and Brandon's- if he is still talking to Shade after the giant frog demon thing. More on that in the recap).
All that being said, it's on to the game.
It was the middle of the night and Max, who had been sleeping peacefully, woke up to the smell of smoke. He shook Shade awake and told her they had to get out. Her building was on fire. They each grabbed a few things and ran down the fire escape. Going to the front of the building, they were able to see just how bad it was. Without hesitation, Shade used her magic to burst the water main in an attempt to contain the fire (I always figured on buying Evocation and this seemed to be the high stress situation that would cause her to finally be able to tap it). In the distance sirens could be heard.
Due to past events and the sheer ferocity of the fire, Shade suspected a spell had been involved. She cast about and was able to detect a faint magical trace. She also caught a dark energy coming from Max. When she opened the Sight, she saw that there was dark entity clutching him around the neck and heart. It was made to cause bad luck and to erode resources and reputation. It wouldn't directly cause death but death could result from what it could do. There was something else. Both the trace of magic and the curse had the same "flavor". It wasn't the same spell as the one from the spirit house of hell but it seemed to have come from the same person. As Shade was telling Max about what she saw, the fire trucks arrived on scene. However, due to the curse, the driver did not see Max and Shade. Max was able to get out of the way but Shade was hit. Luckily she escaped with just a few bruises. Totally annoyed, Shade asked Max to call Brandon. He started to dial when his phone died (wizards can fuck up technology, especially if they are emotionally agitated. I would say that being cursed, watching her business burn, the spontaneous Evocation, and almost being run down would make Shade VERY agitated). It took a few orders but Shade finally convinced one of the paramedics to call Brandon and get him on his way there. Of course, the paramedics phone died right after that. Even more annoyed, Shade strongly suggested to Max that he call Neil. It took three tries and three different pay phones before Max was able to get enough information to Neil to get him on his way.
Brandon finally arrived at the burning shop. He went up to Shade and Max and asked just what the hell was going on. Shade told about the curse and asked Brandon to check her out with the Sight. Even though he made a few snippy comments, Brandon looked at her with the Sight and saw that she was under the same curse as Max. It was entwined between them. Not good news.
A few more minutes passed before Neil arrived. The message he got had sent him to the wrong house. After being brought to date on what was going on, he called his insurance company and started taking pictures of the damage. He made sure to keep Brandon out of them (due to the earlier fire at his magic shop, Brandon was known to the insurance companies as a suspected arsonist). Just to remind everyone that the curse was still working, Shade found out that her insurance policy showed as being lapsed (yep, curse still working). Needing to get rid of the curse, it was decided that everyone should meet at Brandon's shop. The drive there was eventful thanks to the curse. A drunk driver almost took Brandon's car out. Thankfully they made it there in one piece and went immediately to his basement. Hoping to stop or lessen the effects of the curse, Brandon cast a ward around Shade and Max. He then called Skip and told him to get down there. There was research to be done.
Neil, happily unaffected by the curse and drunk drivers, drove up right after them. As he exited his car he saw three figures going into Brandon's shop. They looked like punks up to no good (the curse is working overtime). As they entered, Neil followed right behind. It seemed that the curse did not increase intelligence. The group remained unaware of Neil even after he lit a cigarette. He finally asked if he could help them. When they turned around, Neil flicked his cigarette into the face of one and punched the guy standing next to him. That robber dropped unconscious. The first one tried to hit Neil, who dodged easily. Neil kicked (I think it was kicked. It could have been punched but I seem to recall a spectacular kick move. So we will go with that) the third guy out the door. The first would be robber started babbling about being sorry and such. Neil loaded all three into the truck of his car and headed out to the desert.
With the arrival of Skip, the research into the curse started. Brandon and Skip went through books while Max and Shade talked about how to find out who was behind it. Shade told him that there was a way to force Phillip to tell her the name but she really didn't want to go that route. After some searching, Brandon discovered that the only "cure" for the curse was time. It would end at daybreak. However, until then the effects of the curse would only get worse. He then suggested once again that the two of them go into the warded room (the one that held Wyatt).
Finally reaching an area far outside of the city, Neil stopped his car and let the three robbers out of his trunk. He then told them just what they would be doing if they didn't want to end up in a grave. First they would have to turn their lives around and strive to be better people. To prove to him that they were taking this to heart, they would have to call a certain number every week and tell whomever answered just how they were doing the right things. If they didn't, they would be taking another trip out to the desert and would be digging their own graves. Neil gave his goodbyes and drove back into town.
Neil had just made it downstairs and was being brought up to speed on what had been found out when a very loud crash came from upstairs. A few seconds later a huge toad thing burst into the room (okay, the curse is now working overtime). It rushed at Max who shot at it. The bullet hit it as it ran into the ward around Max and Shade. The ward absorbed some of the attack but the demon managed to almost disembowel Max. Shade, with her newly discovered Evocation skill, attempted to turn the water in it's blood to ice. The beast roared in pain but didn't fall. Neil punched the toad things and hit it hard enough to leave a gaping wound in it's hide. Shade once again used the blood to ice spell and, with the damage already done to it, was able to kill it. The toad demon dropped and dissipated into ectoplasmic goo.
The fight over, Shade rushed to Max's side and frantically asked Brandon to summon the coyote. Knowing that the Coyote God couldn't work directly in Vegas, she asked Neil to get Wyatt there as soon as possible. Wyatt showed up in about fifteen minutes. Brandon told her that the coyote was there. Shade made a deal- a favor for a favor owed. Coyote agreed and, working through Wyatt, started the healing process on Max. His bleeding stopped and he seemed to be breathing easier. Angelica, who had been called by Neil, walked into the basement right then. Neil, Brandon, and Shade explained what had happened and Shade asked if she could help. The only thing she could do was to perform a blessing, which she did. Unnoticed by anyone but Brandon, when Angelica saw Wyatt a flash of recognition crossed her face.
All that was left was the clean up. Skip, who had turned a bit green at all the blood, went for a mop and bucket. Neil choked Shade unconscious and pulled both her and Max into the warded room to await daybreak. Brandon took stock of the damage done to his shop. When day finally came, Neil removed Shade and Max from the room. Shade called a few of Max's men and had them come to Brandon's. They asked what the hell had happened but didn't believe her when she told them. One of the guys also had Periwinkle (her kitty) in a carrier. Apparently their house had collapsed (really??? the curse just had to get one last shot in).
That pretty much ended the gaming session. What a night. Curses, demon toads, and almost a death. Does it get any better then that? We will have to see what the next gaming night brings. I think it is this Sunday. Can't wait!
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