After a few months away from the game, it was great to get back into the thick of things in Las Vegas. I have to say that it is a tribute to our awesome GM that we, as players, were able to get right back into the story. It was a short session, both in terms of real and game time but we were able find out quite a bit of information. A few more of the puzzle pieces are coming together. I do have to say that with the end getting closer, I am really going to miss this game and the characters. I like them all and there are still so many things I (actually Shade) want to do. I don't want it to end!
Okay, it has to end but there was talk about picking it up with the same characters about five years later. Please, please, please.
With the begging out of the way, let's get onto the night's adventure. And it was just one night. We may not move fast but we have fun while doing so.
Neil, at Patience's house, was not having any luck charming the caterer. Thinking that a strategic retreat was in order, he left and headed over to Uri's office.
Meanwhile, Shade and Max were still at the funeral. Patience was well liked and more then a few people got up to talk about her. The comments were heartfelt, though there was a bit of subterfuge about some of the details of her life. There were mundane humans there and a few bits of information could not be divulged (like Locke being her father. Even the most clueless would question how a man who looks 50 was the father to a 70/80ish old woman). Everything seemed normal until Locke spoke. To Shade, his speech seemed rehearsed. He was genuinely sad but he spoke as if from memory. Like he had known this was coming and needed to play his part. Faking a genteel sobbing episode, Shade and Max left the graveside and Max texted Neil that they had to meet. Neil texted back that he was doing something but would meet them at the Diner as soon as possible. Shade and Max left the funeral after that, getting to the cafe. They settled in with coffee and food and waited for Neil to arrive.
After being stopped by the police, Neil made it to Uri's office. It took him awhile to break into the office and the safe but the time was well spent. Inside the safe Neil found a couple of interesting folders. One was on Wyatt. It contained the original contract. The other file was on Angelica. Apparently Uri had been keeping very close tabs on her. Since she was his sister, that wasn't surprising. The last file was on Christine. Not having much time left, Neil made what copies he could and used his phone to photograph the rest of the documents.
At the Diner, Neil joined Shade and Max. There was much to talk about. A couple of new theories were bandied about. After verifying with Max that Stone did not "appear" to show any sign of corruption (appear is in quotes since Shade was asking about Max's version of the Sight), Shade put out the idea that there could be someone or something more behind all of the happenings. Neil brought up the idea that if Locke knew Patience was going to die maybe she had found a way to cheat death. Then there was Melinda's relationship with Patience, how did that figure into this and what, if anything, did she know? And of course Wyatt was brought up. Just how did he fit into this? A few more ideas were bandied about. The end shot of the conversation was that Melinda and Locke needed to be watched and talked to. Shade would confront Locke. Neil would talk to Melinda. Brandon would get to deal with Lucinda (this was because he was in charge of the Spades and also because he was awol).
All that being done, Shade, Max, and Neil went to the wake. The mood of the visitors was sad but Vegas being Vegas, the undercurrent was more of a "who is going to take her place". All of the bigger players were there and everyone seemed to be playing their cards close their chests, so to speak. Neil did his should be patented schmooze and search. Locke was being his usual Lockeish self. Melinda was stone-faced. Uri was networking. And the Accountant was observing it all. While speaking to Melinda, Shade got the impression that she just wanted to go. Not because she was upset about losing her lover but more like she was looking forward to something, something good. Pulling Neil outside for a cigarette, Shade gave that information to him. It seemed to bolster the idea that Patience wasn't as dearly departed as they wanted everyone to believe. Neil and Shade agreed to put their earlier into play.
While all this was going on, Brandon finally made it back Vegas (going to piss off a god any time soon Brandon?). His arrival into Vegas was witnessed by a long line of coyotes just sitting on the side of the road. Finally back into Vegas proper, he was met at the station by a couple of Ghuls, one of whom was Chumley. Brandon being Brandon, he at first refused to get into the car provided by Neil. Losing patience, Chumley placed a call to Neil and that seemed to mollify Brandon a bit. Making it back to his shop, Brandon called Shade.
Shade and Max had made it back to the Luxor and were just about to engage in a bit of "private" time when one of Max's men knocked on the door and said there was a call from a Brandon. Not very happily, Shade took it and brought Brandon up to speed with a very quick report on the happenings. She also set up a meeting between the three for the next morning and took great pleasure in telling Brandon that he was responsible for talking to Lucinda (it's never a good idea to interrupt sex time. It can make a girl cranky). That being said, Shade hung up and she and Max spent a very enjoyable time together.
Brandon, not having that enjoyable of a time, called Skip. Skip wasn't at home but Brandon had a good idea where he was at- the Dam. Driving out there, Brandon saw Skip's car was there and he found his apprentice in the ritual room. This time Skip had come prepared. He had a cooler and food as well as many notebooks. As soon as Brandon entered the room, Skip began to babble excitedly. He still wasn't 100% sure about the translations but it seemed that the ritual room had been constructed perfectly. He said it was the origin point for everywhere, even the outer realms. Skip went on to say that there was no way Stone could have done it himself. It had taken much more power then that, not only power form the world but the Nevernever. As for the energy it put it off, it was tainted and it would taint whomever used it (dammit! I was worried about something like that when we did the banishing spell with Neil, though a tainted Neil could be very amusing for Shade. He could totally fuxor every power that be in Vegas. Shade would kind of like to see a bit of that).
It took some convincing but Brandon finally talked Skip into leaving. He told Skip to grab his notes and follow him. They drove out into the desert. Once there, Brandon told Skip to burn his notes and to not study the room anymore. Anything having to do with the Outsiders was cause for instant death- no trial, no excuse, no mercy. Skip yelled and fought and pleaded with Brandon against the idea but Brandon was NOT backing down. Skip tried to argue that he wanted to stop the Outsiders and this research could do that. Using the Sight, Brandon saw that the notes were showing faint black tendrils already going into Skip. He had Skip open the Sight but all Skip saw was the image of the Coyote behind Brandon.
Having had enough and knowing he had to do something desperate, Brandon pulled his sword and told Skip in no uncertain terms that either he burned the notes or he, Brandon, would end it right now. His meaning was clear. Burn the notes or be beheaded. With his Sight still open, Brandon saw that the trust Skip had in him had turned to fear. Along with the fear, there was anger as Skip finally turned over his notes. As they burned, Skip got into his car and drove back to Vegas.
Neil, after leaving the wake placed a call to one of his companies and asked them to get the Pixies onto the Melinda situation. They were to follow her starting right away. that being done, he took a closer look at the copies and photos of the files he found in Uri's safe. It basically said that Wyatt would be given life until the nothing or the void was driven from the land. Then Wyatt would perish and Uri would gain control of his soul. There was no out clause. As for Christine's contract, it was pretty standard. She exchanged her soul for eternal youth and beauty, though there was mention of a sickness.
With the notebooks burned, Brandon drove back into town and went on the search for Uri. He wasn't at his home or at the Luxor. Nor was he at his office. Finally Brandon went home and called him. It went to voicemail and Brandon left a message that they needed to talk.
On that note, the gaming session ended. Like I said, it was only one night but we managed to get some very good information and are creeping closer to full understanding. Or at least getting closer to the big bad. It is getting so much fun! We have the confrontations with Uri, Locke, and Melinda coming up.There is also one more thing that I would like to do that night, once Shade and Max get finished with their sexy time. Didn't get a chance to bring up before game's end but if we start where we left off, I should be able to get it done.
I can't wait until we play again. Things are getting explosive!
