Dresden Files Las Vegas- Things Fall Apart, It's Scientific

Oh dear, things are getting very interesting. In Vegas that is not a good thing. Last night's gaming session was filled with magic, violence, and more then a couple "oh fuck" moments. I wouldn't want it any other way. Also of note, this is the first time that I have carried a song over for two different sessions but it fit so well, I just had to. So much mayhem and chaos and even a cliffhanger. On to the recap and I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed playing it!

Neil's day was winding down. He was eating dinner at a local diner when Mason walked in. Spotting Neil, he walked over, sat down, and got right to the point. He wanted to know if Neil had learned anything new about the Skavis attack. Neil answered in the negative. Mason told Neil that Fredrick and his hunted guest were currently at the Luxor. He wanted Neil to head over there and keep an eye on Arthur. Neil agreed to do so.

Brandon was closing his shop up when he felt...something. Turning around, Brandon saw Mason right standing right behind him. Brandon asked him not to sneak up on him. Mason said he had to since the door was locked. Pleasantries over, Mason asked just what Brandon knew about Skavis' guest. Brandon replied nothing. Mason then asked if he had seen any notable strangers (one nice thing about Mason, he always gets right to the point). Brandon told him about the visits from Michelle, Jack, and Sharee. He even had it on his security tape. After watching the footage, Mason asked if he could have it. After Brandon answered in the affirmative, Mason told him to head to the Luxor and get in touch with Neil.

Further up and just off the Strip, Shade was finishing up her day when she got a visitor. One of the Changelings, Laurel, burst through the front door and started babbling. Shade told her to calm down and tell her what was wrong. Laurel said that Harold was missing. They had a date planned for that night and she couldn't get ahold of him in any of the usual ways. She was sure something had happened to him. Shade asked Laurel to take her to Harold's place. Laurel agreed and they headed out. At his apartment, Shade proceeded to break in. There didn't seem to be any sign of a struggle. Getting some hair from his brush, Shade exited. However, their visit hadn't gone unnoticed. As the two women walked away, they noticed a neighbor's door closing (hopefully there won't be a police visit in Shade's future, especially considering the rest of her night). Back at her place, Shade cast a location spell. Harold was not in Vegas.

After his talk with Mason, Brandon stopped by his house and geared up. Done there, he made it to the Luxor and started looking for Running Mouth (if anyone would know where Neil was, it would be him). Luck was with him though. As he walked in, Brandon spotted Neil right away, talking to a very big guy. Coming up to the two of them, Brandon figured out that the big guy was actually a Ghoul. After a bit of douche baggery commentary to the Ghoul (of course Brandon couldn't help himself and if baggery isn't a word, it is now), Brandon and Neil decided on a course of action.

Failing to locate Harold with the spell, Shade went to call Helena to ask her if she knew whether Harold was in the Nevernever or not. Before she could, the phone rang. It was another Changeling by the name of Steve. When he had come home, he had noticed that his neighbor's door was ajar. When he peeked in, it looked like there had been some sort of struggle. He asked if she would come over. With a sinking feeling, she agreed (remember, it really hasn't been all long since the Winter Court showed up. Plus, the whole area was sort of a no man's land between the Fey and Skavis territory). With two situations needing her attention, Shade told Laurel to call all the Changelings and tell them to keep their eyes open for trouble. If anything bad started going down, they were to head over to Legends. Shade then cast the spell to take her to the Nevernever.

Still talking, Brandon was able to recall a few bits of information about Arthur. He had been in control of a city down South but had been forced out of power. That meant he was a major player. Needing to find out the room number where Arthur and Fredrick were holed up, Neil went up to the front desk and proceeded to charm the frazzled desk clerk. With his charm (and a 2000$ bribe), he was able to get the number. The two of them headed up to the seventh floor and staked out a position across the hotel where they could keep a watch over everything. In order to make their stay more pleasant, they ordered room service and charged it to Fredrick's room.

With the spell, Shade was able to get to the Nevernever with no problem. The Courtyard teemed with Fey and there seemed to be a buzz in the air. Not wanting to disturb anyone, Shade looked for one of the Knights. A quick word to the Knight who came to greet her answered the question of where Harold was. That being settled, Shade passed back through to Vegas. Laurel was not so happy when Shade told her that Harold was in the Nevernever. She basically flipped out- Harold hated that place, never went there, and she wanted Shade to go and get him. The strength of her anger caused Laurel to change into her Fey form, a Dryad (the Changelings usually choose whether to follow their human or Fey nature but the change can be forced. Remember that, it will come up later). She went off to find her tree. That left Shade free to head to Steve's. Meeting Steve at the apartment door, he introduced himself and showed her the broken chain. In the hallway (had to do it out there since trying it in the apartment would not be good. There wasn't much of a threshold but any amount would lesson her power). Shade set up and used her power to cast a scrying spell. With that she was able to see what happened. Steve's neighbor had been attacked and abducted by Helena.

Back at the Luxor, Brandon and Neil ate and talked. Brandon also spent his time leering at the cleavage passing below on the main floor. The only activity on their floor was when two guys went into the room they were watching. While watching the main floor, Neil saw a guy that could be described as a redneck. Breaking Brandon away from his pastime, Neil pointed the guy out and Brandon was pretty sure that was him. It seemed that the guy was heading for the stairwell.

With the feeling that bad things were happening, Shade once again prepared the spell to take her to the Nevernever. Once again, the phone rang (if she didn't have her own business, she would seriously consider getting rid of the line. Really, nothing good ever comes from it). It was Max. Happy to hear from him, Shade asked what was going on. Max, sounding more puzzled then anything, asked if she knew of any strangers in town. Uri had accused him of bringing some in that were causing trouble. He knew nothing about it. Shade answered that she hadn't heard anything either. Shade then let Max know that she would be heading to the Nevernever to take care of some Fey stuff. He told her to wait there for him; he was coming with her. She told him there was no need. It was Fey business. After a bit of back and forth, she agreed to wait (she seriously considered just leaving without him but Lana played the fate chip compel. So she waited and, secretly, Shade kind of liked that Max would want to come and protect her. Not that she needs it. Really).

Wanting to intercept the guy, Brandon pulled his sword out and waited in the stairwell. After about fifteen minutes (which was more then enough time for Jack to appear), Brandon walked back over to Neil. When asked, Neil said he hadn't seen anything. Neil then asked Brandon how he would get in if he didn't want to be seen. Brandon replied that he would use a veil spell. It would be the easiest. Not really wanting to, Brandon opened the Sight, trying to focus solely on the room door they were watching. The first thing he saw was a huge shaft of light. It was the power of the Ley line the Luxor sat upon. The next thing was that it was the Luxor but...wasn't. In the Sight, the hotel appeared as a true pyramid, complete with hieroglyphics. One interesting thing of note to Brandon was that each of the doors had the names of the guests using the room inscribed on them. Not seeing their target, Brandon shut the Sight down.

Just then, Neil's phone rang. It was Chumley the Ghoul. He had seen one of the people (Jack) they were looking for just leave the building. Neil told the Ghoul to stay where he was. He figured that the Jack seen leaving the hotel was a decoy of some sort. Deciding that three could play that game, Brandon and Neil made for the stairwell, as if they were leaving to follow. Inside, they moved a few steps up to the next landing and waited. Soon they heard the sounds of footsteps coming closer. Brandon warned the unseen person to turn back. Neil was a bit more direct. He simply dropped over the railing onto the unseen figure below. Surprisingly, the person cried out in a decidedly feminine voice. While Neil and the unknown person grappled, Brandon sauntered down and blocked the door. After a few seconds, the veil dropped, revealing a very disheveled Sharee. She got to her feet and demanded that Brandon move. Brandon replied that it would be best if she would just leave. There would be no violence in the Luxor (that would be very, very, very bad. Very bad). They argued about the matter for a few minutes until Sharee swore on her power that she was just there to talk to Arthur and would not do any sort of violence (of course the whole conversation was peppered with her usual cracker and white boy references). Brandon stepped away from the door and Sharee went through it. Brandon followed right behind. They both walked to Arthur's room and Sharee knocked. When the door opened, she asked to see Mr. Skavis. Fredrick appeared and was his usual charming self (in other words, he managed to insult and sexually harass Sharee in about two sentences). Sharee told him that she was there to see the other Mr. Skavis. Fredrick invited her in and closed the door.

In the Nevernever for the second time, at least for Shade, they walked into the house proper. This time she had come prepared. She had brought candy for the pixies. There was some intense negotiations with them, especially from one named Janx (Shade is going to remember that. She has a few ideas that involve Janx. Hey, Dresden has his pixie sidekick, why not Shade). Once the negotiations were finished, the pixies led them into the Maze. Getting to the clearing, Shade and Max saw about ten Fey there. That included members of the Spring Court. Philip was on the dais with the slumbering Kings. Harold was standing next to him, looking beat to hell. On another stone bier was a body. Shade assumed it was the kidnapped neighbor. His heart had been cut out. It seemed that the Fey were in the middle of making the sacrifice in the name of Autumn. 

Across the clearing, Laurel emerged from the trees, heading towards Harold. Knowing that interrupting Philip would not be a good thing (interrupting the ritual would likely lead to fallout or backlash and considering the power currently being channeled on the dais, that would not be good), Shade moved to intercept her. Using some of the power invested in the sickle, she managed to get to Laurel and grab her. Laurel managed to knock Shade to the ground just as Max came up. In a contemptuous tone of voice, he told Shade to let her go, that she was just wood and thus worthless, useful for only chopping down. Laurel turned to attack Max at that (Max has a stunt that basically allows him to infuriate anybody. Shade's and Max's fights are going to be interesting, to say the least). It took three hits with the apple but Shade was finally able to knock Laurel unconscious (she didn't want to kill her. She just wanted her out). Turning to applause, Shade and Max saw that the ritual had been completed. Shade's heart went out to Harold. He had changed into his Fey form and just looked confused. There were a few words between Shade and Philip having to do with Laurel and Shade needing to talk to him. Philip told her that he would be back in Vegas the next day. Max and Shade then left the clearing (Max was very upset at what he saw and so was Shade. Hopefully, this will not be a problem between them. At least, Shade hopes that Max will talk with her about it and not just condemn her for it or decide to leave her. She really does love him).   

The talk between Arthur and Sharee didn't take long and it wasn't too much later that the door opened and she walked away. As Brandon and Neil watched her go, Neil's phone rang. He answered it but he only heard harsh breathing. A quick look showed Neil that it was Uri's personal number. With a feeling of dread, Neil and Brandon headed over to Uri's house. Finding the front door locked, Brandon used a spell to open it. Once inside, they both started searching. In the rear of the house, they found a blood trail leading from the backdoor to the bathroom. Pushing the door open, Brandon and Neil saw Uri sprawled out on the floor, luckily still breathing. When they turned him over, they saw that he had been sliced to hell and the wounds looked to be putrefying. Brandon guessed that something holy had to have done that (looks like Davy came to Vegas as well. And here is where things could really get bad. Think back. Uri believes that Max brought the New Orleans group there. Once he wakes up, he is going to point his finger at Max and probably send Brandon and Neil to "take care" of things. Shade knows that Max had nothing to do about any strangers. So each has half the puzzle but not the whole picture).

Thus ended the gaming session. Once again, Lana lived up to her promise of things going to hell and I get the feeling we are only about half way through this arc (if that!). I cannot wait until next Sunday to see what happens next!   

Dresden Files Las Vegas- Like Sittin' On Pins And Needles

After a month, we finally returned to Dresden and Las Vegas. Lana gave us an early warning that this arc would be titled Things Go to Hell. I won't give any spoilers this early but the theme is totally appropriate- at least from the set up. This was a great start and it will only get better as situations progress. I foresee many OOC comments in this post.

September had come and tourist trade was winding down. Cooler temperatures and even cooler temperaments had prevailed over the summer heat. The mood in Vegas was more or less content. A break between disasters was very much needed.

In the downtime, Neil had been very busy. With his windfall, he had managed to buy the Baron's estate- house, land, and furnishings. Then came the daunting task of exploration and inventory. Even though he didn't move in, he spent many hours going through the entire house. There was an abundance of clothes, he found (the Baron did have good taste...and the money to indulge). He also figured out that the house was riddled with secret passages. He did find a few disturbing implements, mainly dealing with the draining of blood (the Baron didn't bite anyone but he did need to eat). The vibe of the house took a definite creepy turn when Neil went into the basement. It was filled with old furniture and more clothes. These clothes, however, seemed to come in many different sizes and for both genders. The sub-basement was ever creepier. It was set up as a torture chamber, complete with blood stained walls. In a small room off of it, Neil found the vampire's resting place. A search of the coffins turned up personal belongings- jewelry, journals, other keepsakes. As for Neil's dating life, since Uri's promotion, Christine had become even busier. Their weekly dates had turned into monthly booty calls. Neil didn't seem particularly devastated by that occurrence.

Brandon kept busy as well. He had a sword he needed to get to know. With time and proximity, he became attuned to the weapon. That earned Brandon the Marked by Power aspect. With use, he learned that carrying the sword gave him Winter Strength and using the sword conferred Winter Speed to him. Business was good. The summer tourist crowd had given way to the in town trade of local magicians. Besides playing with his sword (snicker) and running his business, Brandon spent time with Skip. He soon found out that Skip sucked at evocation but excelled at thaumaturgy (Skip's training in the hard sciences really enforced this). Of course, a fair amount of time was spent teaching Skip to learn from his mistakes. One incident involved the need for Black Court Vampire blood. Brandon told Skip to head over to Mason's and get some. Not long afterwards, Skip returned. Or rather, Mason hauled Skip back to the shop by his ear.

With the city quiet, Brandon and Neil didn't have much to do for their second jobs as Spades. They mainly had to keep the tourists safe from muggings and such. The only other thing on the Spade radar was the sudden expansion of the Fey into new territory and the influx of money that meant. It wasn't a problem yet but could lead to instability, something much frowned upon.

Shade didn't spend her time relaxing either. She continued to speak with the Changelings one on one (she is determined to get at least a couple to choose their Fey heritage). Business at her shop had picked up as well. Even with her work, Shade managed to spend time with Neil, Brandon, Skip, and Wyatt. One issue with Skip did come up. Once he learned that Shade's talent was in thaumaturgy, Skip showed up at her place asking questions. Once again poor Skip was dragged back to Brandon by his ear (Shade was not going to step on Brandon's toes when it came to his apprentice). However, Brandon gave his permission for Skip to learn from her. As for Shade and Max, they spent as much time together as they could, at least once a week. Work took much of their time but they managed (Could there be something brewing here? Possibly, they seem really into each other). As for the monthly Board meetings, they passed fairly uneventfully. There were a few snide remarks made about the Fey expansion but Shade ignored them (she saw an opportunity, took it, and made it a success. Perhaps she is a bit more capable then they thought).

The work day started off normally for Brandon. He and Skip were at his shop when the bell over his door rang. Brandon looked up and noticed two customers coming in. At first glance, the man and woman seemed like normal patrons. However, a quick check showed Brandon that the man had an aura of power and that it was very dark. Deciding that aggressive customer service was in order, Brandon walked over to them. The two focused on Brandon as he walked up. The man introduced himself as Jack, the woman as Michelle (For loyal followers, yes, they are the two from the New Orleans game and...they aren't. They are the same characters to a point but, since Lana is playing them, some of their actions will not be true to how we each created them). They were looking to talk to a Brandon Wall. Brandon told them they had found him and asked what they wanted. Jack suggested they retire to a private place for their chat. Back in Brandon's office, the three sat down and Jack started speaking. They were looking for a particular person- Arthur Skavis. They had information that he might be in the city. Brandon told them that he knew a Fredrick Skavis but didn't know an Arthur. He suggested that the two should head over to Luxor to check in and maybe get some better information. Asked why, Brandon tried to explain to them how things were in Vegas with the Board and how things were run. Jack seemed amused by it all. Michelle just looked impatient. She tried to push the Skavis issue but was silenced by Jack. Jack them brought up the other reason they were in Vegas. Jack was a member of the White Council and it had been brought to the Council's attention that the Warden was no longer there. Brandon said that the Warden was just on a vacation and would be back. Jack then asked Brandon if he would care to join the Council. Brandon politely declined. Business concluded, the two left.

While Brandon was getting the dubious honor of meeting Jack and Michelle, Shade was working. Her day was pretty normal. She and Max had a date planned for that night. Closing up, Shade went upstairs and got ready. Since it was a chance for them to spend more then a half an hour together, she dressed up a bit. He picked her up and they headed out. He took her to a Damian Demos magic show. They were sitting in the front row, enjoying the show when the final trick of the evening started. Damian came into the audience and singled out Shade as his "victim". It involved the usual pick a card and write your name down bit (by that time I knew exactly where this was going). She did so and, surprise, he pulled her card out of her pocket. However, what had been written on the card was "will you marry me". Shade looked down and saw Max kneeling in front of her with an engagement ring (the diamond was actually purple tinged and was ringed with amethysts- Tyrian purple is her favorite color). He spoke of his esteem and love for her and she formally accepted. As they hugged, she whispered that they needed to get the fuck out of there for a serious conversation. Max agreed and they left.

As they sat down to eat, Shade launched into her list of concerns. First, she wasn't Catholic, had no intention of converting, and refused to go through the mandatory counseling. Second, she absolutely would not move to Chicago. Third, there would be no children. Fourth, there was the very good possibility of their jobs causing conflict. She made it clear that she would not tolerate the Mob messing with the Fey territory. Max answered each point- she wouldn't have to convert, they would lie about her being Catholic, and the counseling would be a non-issue (in other words, there would be a nice donation to make that go away). However, a church wedding was non-negotiable. Chicago was not a problem as he was moving permanently to Vegas. Once they got all that hammered out, Shade brought up two more requests- she wanted to tattoo him and they would have to finally have sex-before the wedding. Surprisingly, he agreed to both (there is one other thing she feels a strong need to do but she is saving that for later. She figured that he had been hit hard enough, especially with the "have to have sex" request). After all that, they talked for awhile longer with Max being quite eloquent about his feelings for her (Shade does feel the same way but hasn't said so yet. Don't worry, she will). When they parted, Shade hightailed it to Legends and pulled Tess aside to show her the ring. Tess had a few reservations about the whole thing. She point blank asked Shade if she loved Max and Shade answered that she didn't know (that was a little white lie. She does love him but she won't say it until the still unknown and unnamed event takes place). They decided to go out and celebrate, which they did.

Blissfully unaware of the momentous events shaping up, Neil was at a casino doing Neil things (I am willing to bet that included handing out business cards. I figure by January everyone in Vegas will have one and then he will have to think of something else to hand out). His phone rang and he answered it only to hear Skavis shouting that someone had burned his fucking bar down. Neil told Skavis to calm down and explain what was going on. Skavis repeated the whole "burned my fucking bar down" and asked if Neil would meet with him. Neil said he would and hung up. Getting to the Crucible, Neil saw that the entire bar was in flames. Paramedics, firefighters, and police were on scene. Seeing Neil, Skavis walked over. He looked rough. Someone had beat the hell out of him. Finally calmed down a bit, Skavis told Neil what happened. Two people, a man and woman, he didn't know had come into his bar (one guess just who they were). They asked some questions about an uncle of his and, when he wouldn't give Arthur up, things went to hell. The woman started shooting and the man started to toss fire around. The end result was three bodyguards dead and the bonfire that used to be his bar. Always practical, Neil asked if Skavis had insurance. After calming down a little bit more, Skavis told Neil that he wanted to buy his services. He wanted to know just who those people were and where to find them. They agreed on the price of 25,000$ and two Ghouls as helpers. Skavis then said he would be moving Arthur to the Luxor. With that decided, Skavis left and Neil got to work. He first talked to the firefighters about the blaze but didn't get much more then it seemed odd. Before calling it a night, Neil called Drusilla Malvora and told her what happened. He wasn't sure if the attack was only aimed at Skavis or at all the Vampire Courts and thought it best to cover all the bases.

The next day, Neil headed out early to talk with the businesses surrounding the Crucible. He wanted the footage from all their security cameras. He was able to get what he needed and was able to put the footage together. He saw the man and woman arrive and go into the bar. After a bit, Neil was able to discern flashes of light behind the windowpanes. Then he saw the couple leave and Skavis come out a bit after them (is anyone really surprised it went down like that? Jack and Michelle are reasonable to a point and then after that, things tend to get...messy. Especially with Michelle. Skavis would piss her off just by breathing. One smart ass, sexual innuendo from him and she would not hesitate to shoot him). Unfortunately, he wasn't able to get the license number of the car. Figuring he had gotten everything he could from the footage, Neil started to leave to go visit Wyatt. However, before he could head out, he was joined by two guys- the Ghouls Skavis had promised him. Not wanting to take them on his visit, Neil sent them off on their own errands. The smarter of the two he sent to the police station to ask about the case so far. The second he sent off to guard the second most profitable of Skavis' holdings.

That taken care of, Neil went in search of Wyatt. Finding him at his job, Neil showed Wyatt a still shot of the couple and asked if he could get a location on them. Wyatt tried but came up blank. He told Neil that he would continue to try. Business concluded, Neil asked Wyatt how he was doing. Wyatt said he was doing great, even had a date with a showgirl. Neil gave him some money and told Wyatt to take her someplace nice. Neil's next stop was the Luxor where he looked up Running Mouth. After finding him, Neil asked him he had seen the couple. In the verbal torrent that followed, Neil was able to find out that no, they had not been seen by Jeremy. Asked why he was looking for them, Neil told him what had happened. Running Mouth almost was speechless at learning all that happened. Neil told him to keep the information quiet (not going to happen Neil. Think of who you just told the information to. That was a good move, by the way. Michelle and Jack will have everyone looking for them once Jeremy tells the story a few times).

After their night of debauchery and tequila, Shade and Tess weren't quite ready to face the day. Most of their morning was spent trying to recover and piece the previous night together. They were pretty sure there had been some table dancing involved. It took awhile but Shade finally was able to open her shop. It didn't take long for the events befalling Skavis to reach her ears. She called Skavis to see how he was doing. Skavis at first seemed to think she was calling to gloat a bit and he point blank asked her if the Fey had been involved in what happened. Shade told him that the Fey had nothing to do with the fire. Then he congratulated her on her big event and followed up with some very lewd comments (they were funny as well). After hanging up, Shade sent a message to Philip about what happened. She also included the news of her engagement in the note.

At Sleight of Hand, it was business as usual. Customers kept Brandon busy and a Homecoming visit from his parents kept Skip in panic mode (that poor boy is going to stroke out if he doesn't relax). Finally, the bell on his door ringing gave Brandon the chance to escape Skip's issues. Looking up, Brandon saw a young, black women come in. She walked up to the two men and asked for Brandon Wall. Brandon introduced himself and asked what she needed. She needed a few of his special supplies for a locating spell and possibly his help with the ritual as well. Brandon showed her downstairs to his workshop. She seemed very impressed with his selection of books and set-up. When asked if she had something personal of the person, Sharee produced a handkerchief. At first she wasn't impressed with how Brandon was putting the spell together. She basically told him to cut the crap and give her something that would work. Brandon assured her that if this spell didn't work he would cast something stronger. Mollified a bit, Sharee told him to continue. Brandon cast the spell and hit what seemed to be stone wall. However, he was able to recognize the ward. it was the Luxor. He told Sharee that.

That ended a gaming session full of fun and surprises. This arc is going to be awesome! Of course, the potential problems are growing. Will Jack, Michelle, and Sharee get Arthur? Will they be able to do it without burning half of Vegas down? Is Jack the only White Council member in town or are they there in force? How will the Board and Spades react to it all? Will Locke be called back? What about the impending wedding (and I really hope the wedding/reception does happen and we get to role play it through. Shade is my first character that is fairly normal and isn't borderline crazy. With Shade's focus and organizational skills, I am sure she would have the entire event planned in week...lol)? There hasn't been a celebration where something hasn't gone wrong or had a surprise involved. So many possibilities! And Lana said something about finding a picture that represents how Max looks. Can't wait for that either. I am 1 for 2 on being correct. I got it right with Locke but totally was wrong with how I imagined Uri.

Dresden Files Las Vegas- Still Cannot Fix This Broken Machine

It has taken me awhile to get this posted. I actually had most of it written within a day or two of the game. I was just trying to come up with a song that worked for the session. I'm still not a 100% sure about the one I chose but it fits most of the events of the evening. It could also be a foreshadow to some future events, depending on how everything plays out (I just realized that this is the third song by Nine Inch Nails that I have used).

What a night! Political wrangling, back alley deals, and upheavals at the top were all in play. What took place could lead to so many opportunities, surprises, conflicts, and problems. What will the future hold?

The day dawned bright and hot (it is Las Vegas, bright and hot is always a good bet). Brandon was at work having a normal day when a letter came for him. The message was simple and to the point. Mason requested his presence at his house that night.

Neil started his day in the usual manner. Up early, exercise, coffee, and then out to hit the streets. Through his contacts, he found the streets abuzz with gossip. There was talk of power changes higher up. The feeling on the street was one of tension and apprehension. No one knew for sure what was going on and everyone seemed to be waiting to see how everything played out. After talking to his contacts, Neil started on his next project- researching real estate. He had his eye on the Baron's house. A few calls later, he had the information he needed to get the ball rolling on that (will Neil be getting a house?).

Shade's day started off normal but soon took a nosedive (to be fair, Shade doesn't know about two of the incidents concerning her but, all in all, the day takes a nosedive). She was tattooing a customer (okay, he was a junkie but, since he wasn't high just then, she agreed to do the ink). Deciding to give her idea one last shot, she asked the guy a few questions about who was supplying him and such. It took a bit of work but she did get a name- Jimmy the Hand. Even though he was a drug dealer, he fit at least two of her criteria. He was a human who worked closely with the Supernatural and he would probably have connections. Hopefully, he would be able to steer her towards a suitable candidate for the Board. With nothing to lose, she went in search for him. After searching awhile, she did find Jimmy. They engaged in social combat with Shade eventually winning. However, she wasn't able to get anything from him. Deciding enough was enough, Shade went back to work.

With night falling, Brandon headed out for his meeting with Mason. He figured that he would be dealing with more Spade business. He had not figured on the first person he saw at the house. It was Lucinda Wraith. After a polite (snicker) hello, he took a seat on the far side of the room. Eventually Mason entered the room. Not indulging in small talk, he got right to the point. He told Brandon that his main concern was corruption at the highest levels, meaning the Board members. He didn't trust any of them. He felt that most, if not all, had forgotten the reason for the Board being formed. Add to that the fact that someone was taking the Spades out and he was sure that Brandon could understand his concern. Brandon could. Then Brandon voiced a concern of his own. He wanted Mason's assurances that this was a straight deal. If a problem came up; it would be dealt with. No bullshit. Mason assured him that was the case. Brandon was satisfied. Then Mason told him why Lucinda was there. Every person who joined the Spades underwent a Soulgaze with another member. It would be Brandon's job (as a wizard) to do that but, he couldn't Soulgaze himself. Brandon wasn't happy with the whole idea but agreed to it (a soulgaze is just that. The people involved literally see the other's soul, see what kind of person they are. It also allows the other to see if a person is under a spell or is corrupted). Once that was done, Lucinda excused herself. Brandon and Mason talked for a bit longer. Asked about whether Neil would accept the job, Brandon said that he didn't know. Mason hoped that he would. A human could go places that the Supernatural couldn't. Then Mason asked about Shade again, if she could be trusted. He wanted to know if Brandon had noticed any changes in her lately. Brandon said he hadn't. Mason asked if Brandon would spend some time with her and get to know her better (would it kill the guys if they stood up for Shade? They may not be besties but she does stick up for them and she is keeping Wyatt a secret). Brandon said he would and they parted soon after.

Real estate deals being finished, Neil made a call to Max. He had a business proposal for him. Max agreed to a meeting. At the diner, Neil launched into his proposal. With the recent change up in the power structure, there were certain advantages coming available. One of which being the open seat on the Board. What about Max trying for that seat? Playing it cool, Max asked how that would be handled. Neil said that he knew of a possibility and wanted to know if Max would be willing to meet with said individual. Max said yes. Not wasting any time, Neil placed a call to Skavis (yes, that sound you heard was Shade yelling...definitely something very, very impolite). Neil explained the situation to him and Skavis told them to come right over to the Crucible. They did so.

Walking into the bar, they were greeted with some heckling. They really didn't fit in with the regular clientele. In the back they found Skavis. After sitting down, Neil told him about his proposal. Skavis seemed interested and told Neil to go on. Of course, Skavis being Skavis couldn't seem to eager and had to throw a few insults Max's way. With effort, Max held onto his temper. He also wisely kept his mouth shut and let Neil continue to do the talking. Neil pointed out the fact that it wouldn't hurt to have a friend, so to speak, on the Board. After a bit of contemplation, Skavis said okay but that Max would have to agree to do as he said for a year- work with him, vote as he voted, and so on. Neil then stressed the point that this alliance couldn't be flaunted openly. It wouldn't help either one if it was known that Max was beholden to him. There was some more back and forth but terms were agreed upon. Skavis would suggest Max as a candidate for the seat and Max would work with him. Max said that would be okay unless it conflicted with his interests. Business concluded, Neil and Max left. 

After leaving Mason's, Brandon figured he was due a nice relaxing evening. Heading to the MGM, he had a few drinks and bought a ticket for the boxing match slated for that evening. He even placed a bet. Unfortunately, he picked the wrong guy. Still, he enjoyed himself.

After work, Shade caught up on her second job. She called Marissa, the changeling who was in charge of the Freemont Experience expansion. Things were going splendidly. More people were moving in and the area was well on it's way to being the hip place to live and work. In August, an art fair/block party was being planned. Satisfied, Shade hung up and left for the Board meeting.

At the Luxor, the Board members were mingling about before starting. Shade went to talk with Puck and Heather. Soon after, Skavis showed up and came over to join their group. He was his usual charming self (in other words, he came over and promptly tried/said something blatantly sexual). Shade and Skavis talked about the upcoming meeting. He asked her what she thought would happen. Shade told him that she figured people would throw out a few names. Then Locke would name his candidate and then everyone would vote that person in. Skavis then wanted to know if Shade would vote for herself or is she would just be a Locke ass kisser. Shade laughed at that and said that being on Locke's good side really wasn't a problem. Locke loathed her. Shade asked if he had anyone in mind. Skavis said that he did. He planned on nominating Max Torelli.

Finally, everyone headed in and after Locke showed up, the meeting started. The first order of business was what to do with the humans addicted to the Red Court saliva and the dead Baron's territory. After some discussion, the care of the humans and the territory was given to the Wraiths. They had the means to control the addicts. It was also agreed to revisit that decision in a years time.

Next on the agenda was what to do with the empty Board seat. That started a lively discussion. Angelica brought up Shade's idea about giving it to a human. Shade spoke up and admitted that she hadn't been able to find a good candidate. Skavis stood up then and nominated a drug dealer he knew. No one took him seriously. Locke asked again if there was anyone. And again, Skavis stood up. Sounding impatient, Locke asked if he had someone in mind. Skavis then nominated Torelli. Shade seconded it. The debate started. Skavis said that new blood was needed and that Max would bring business opportunities to Vegas. Uri said that they had spent too long getting the Mob out of Vegas to let them back in. Shade countered that the Mob was still in Vegas and that it made more sense to have the Mob representative on the board where they could keep an eye on him and control him if necessary. Unfortunately, the vote did not go in Max's favor.

Then Locke proposed that a seat on the Board be eliminated by combining two into one. He suggested that either Uri or Angelica lose their seat. That did not go over well. Uri was pissed as hell. It was brought up that it set a bad precedent. What would stop other seats from being eliminated? After all, the Vampires could be consolidated, as could the two Fey courts. Emotions were running high. Everything from indifference to worry to anger was swirling about. Since no one really liked that idea, Locke said he would be fine with taking a long vacation (he kept muttering something about Tahiti and Tawney in a bikini) and letting someone else be the Chairman. Uri nominated himself. Shade seconded it. Angelica about ruptured a blood vessel disagreeing. She said that Uri's very nature made that a mistake. Shade pointed out that Uri's nature as half demon fit in perfectly with Vegas. After all, wasn't Vegas the breeding ground for the seven deadly sins? Why not have their earthly representative head the Board? A vote was taken and Uri was named as the new Chairman- with the decision to be revisited in a year.

Right after the meeting, Shade left, bought some candy, and went to the Nevernever. Even though she hated to disturb him, she needed to tell Philip what happened at the meeting. Getting there, she gave the candy to the pixies, who were very happy to eat it. They took her to see Philip. She told him what happened. They also talked about Freemont and Philip seemed pleased that it was going so well. Before leaving, Shade did bring up what had happened to her and that she hoped that Philip wouldn't start experimenting with it. However, if he did, she really didn't want to know. The term she used was plausible deniability.

That pretty much ended the gaming session. There will be two month time span between the end of this arc and the beginning of the next. In that time, Neil was able to get a hold of a shit load of money and buy the Baron's house...and all the furnishings (told you Neil was getting the house). He also bought a fleet of motorcycles and accepted Mason's job offer. Brandon spent his time getting to know his Fey sword better and getting a scabbard made for it. He also started taking fencing lessons. The art/street fair went off without a hitch, which made Shade happy. She also started to spend some time individually with the Changelings. She just talked with them about choosing to be human or Fey and how they feel about it. By doing so, she hoped to get a few to become full Fey and to impress Philip even more (at least she's good at doing Fey stuff).

See what I mean about the possibilities? I cannot wait for the next session to see just what will happen with all the changes taking place. Will the White Council make an appearance? Will Angelica be proved right or wrong? Just who is killing the Spades and just what action will Mason take with what happened to the Board? Will Locke get jailed in Tahiti for sexual harassment? Okay, that last was just for fun.

Dresden Files Las Vegas- Some of Them Want To Use You

Finally sitting down and getting this written. I have been busy with real life stuff (that being my speak for playing computer games) but I promised to get this updated before the next session and I will! The night was very, very fun and interesting. Not much action but lots of deals. To put it in proper Vegas terminology: The hand has been dealt. Now to see who raises, calls, folds, or bluffs.


It's summer in Sin City and it's not only the temperature that's heating up. Political turmoil is in full swing and it's getting harder to tell friend from foe. Under the table deals are being made and trust has, indeed, become a rare commodity.

The next evening came. Neil was still hiding out in Brandon's basement. Brandon and Skip were enjoying their stay at the Luxor. Shade had another Board meeting to attend. After all the members showed, Locke told everyone that he had spoken to the White Council and knew some of the details about what happened. The White Council had won the war. A certain wizard by the name of Dresden had enacted a blood curse on the Red Court and wiped it out completely. Everyone was pretty well stunned. That amount of power was almost unheard of. Locke then brought up the empty Board seat. A couple of suggestions were thrown out. Shade put out the idea of a pure human, someone with no supernatural power at all who would represent the mortal element of Vegas. A couple of Board members seemed receptive to the idea. Alas, Locke wasn't one of them. He basically shot her down and announced that he had his own candidate in mind (At that point, Shade kept quiet. Once he said that, she knew the seat would go to whomever Locke wanted and she didn't see the point of fighting a battle she didn't have a chance in hell of winning. At least right at that moment). Next on the agenda was what to do about Dresden. There was talk of killing him. Paranoia reigned supreme. Shade had to point out that the attack hadn't been against the Baron personally and she didn't think Dresden would be showing up to get them all. She said that if Dresden showed up in Vegas, he should be dealt with. Barring that, let the White Council deal with the problem. The Board voted to ban Dresden from Vegas. Business being finished, the meeting ended.

As Shade headed out, Locke asked her to give a message to Brandon- The danger was over and they needed to get out. He didn't want any freeloaders around. Shade went to Brandon and Skip's room and delivered the message, which really pissed Brandon off. Really, really pissed him off. She also left a message for Neil telling him that the danger was over and he could go home. Done with that, Shade went to have a drink at Legends and then headed home for some much needed sleep. After Neil listened to Shade's voicemail, he headed home. Opening his door, he noticed a card that had been slipped under it. It was the ace of spades and it had an address and a time on it. Thinking it was a threat, Neil left for a very public place. Brandon (still pissed as hell) found a similar card slipped under his door. He reacted quite differently. He threw the card out onto his lawn.

The next day started early for Neil. He called Wyatt and asked if it was possible for him to see who had sent the card. Wyatt wasn't sure if he could do that and told Neil to meet him on his lunch break. At noon, Neil brought the card and a sandwich for Wyatt. Wyatt was unable to tell who had handled it. However, he was able to tell where the rest of deck was located. It was the address on the back. Neil thanked Wyatt and left to check it out.

Getting there, Neil saw that it appeared to be an empty lot. Driving past it a couple of times, he lobbed his cigarette into the lot and watched as it seemed to disappear. He parked his car and got out to look things over. Reaching the point where his cigarette had disappeared, he tossed a rock. It too vanished. He knew something was off and tried a few more experiments. They involved a hollow tube, using his phone to try and get a picture of what was on the other side, and sticking his finger through. The whole time Neil was being watched by some of the neighborhood's retirees. He was probably the most amusing thing they had seen in months. Deciding what the hell, he stepped through. Inside the veil, it was dark. There was also an old, rundown house. Neil first checked the front and back doors. They were locked and he was not able to jimmy them open. Next, he checked the windows. No luck there. They too were locked. After trying kick the door in and failing (I swear, we have the worst luck with doors in any game we play. I can think of five different times we have tried to kick one in and we have never succeeded), he simply broke a window and entered the house. It was dusty and the furnishings looked old. He opened the fridge and saw it was filled with blood. It also contained some fruit, of which he took an apple. Searching the rest of the first floor, he found a drawer full of cards, many different decks. Satisfied, Neil left his version of a calling card. He placed a poker hand neatly on the table and put his apple core and a business card with it. He did sweep up the broken glass before leaving (say what you want about Neil, at least he is polite when he does something illegal). His last act before driving away was to phone in an anonymous tip about a drug deal and murder taking place at the address of the lot.

Shade's day started early as well. Max called her and asked if he could see her that night to talk- business, not personal. She said that was fine. Her morning was spent tattooing a few people, one of which was a "special" design. With nothing to lose, she asked the gentleman if he knew anyone in the mortal community who was in the know about the Supernatural element. Someone who stood out a bit. It took some doing but she got an answer. The guy gave her Neil's card. Not what she wanted (of course she could have hired Neil to find who she needed but she really wants to do this on her own). After a bit of thinking, a name came to her- Sal Fredricks. She went to the restaurant where he did business and asked to see him. The meeting did not go well. After telling Sal who she was and what she needed, he asked how much it would be worth to her. Not having the funds to pay him off, Shade told him so and bid him goodbye (Frankly, if he was too stupid to see the advantages to having a Board member owe him a favor, Shade didn't want to deal with him). Back at her shop, Shade worked until Max showed up. What he wanted to talk about was interesting, to say the least. He first brought up the possibility of an alliance between the Autumn Court and himself. Shade agreed that could be possible but she would have to talk it over with Philip. Then he asked her if she would vote for his taking the open seat on the Board. That surprised Shade. Max was an outsider and part of the Mob. Both of which were not really welcome in Vegas. She told him that she was working on getting a human in that seat. However, if a candidate she felt was better suited didn't get put out there, she would support his bid. Satisfied, Max left.

Brandon's day was normal. He was still angry as hell over what Locke said. He vowed, that after everything he had done for Vegas, everyone could go and fuck themselves if they needed help. His day finally ended and he headed home. Once again, he found an ace of spades slipped under his door. Once again, he flipped it onto his lawn. Deciding that a bit of magic was in order, he called Skip. The two of then spent the rest of the evening fashioning a ward. Brandon wanted to keep everyone but himself and Skip out of his house (they set the ward to keep everyone but those wearing a special amulet out). It took awhile but they got the spell set. Skip amused himself by taking his amulet off and on and trying to get through the door.

After breaking and entering, Neil went on a shopping spree. He knew that whomever had sent the card was a vampire and he wanted to load up on vampire killing tools. His first stop was to a store to get a couple of stakes. Then he stopped by the church to get them blessed. Then it was off to the gun shop. He wanted something with a bit of firepower. He also wanted some wooden bullets. The clerk seemed a bit taken aback by that. He told Neil that he should go with a shotgun. They spent a bit of time discussing the possibilities. Neil left the shop after putting the order for the gun and with a promise by the clerk to look into the wooden pellets. One last stop was on his list. Before he could get to the store, he noticed that he was being followed by a patrol car. He stopped and asked the officer what the problem was. The cop asked Neil if he had been in such a such neighborhood earlier that day. They had received a tip about a possible murder. They had also received a few calls about a car matching his that was seen in the vicinity. Neil played it cool and denied that he had ever been there. After searching his car, the cops let him go (old, bored retirees will get you every time). Neil went back to his search for a high intensity UV lamp that was portable (he definitely wants every base covered). With his shopping finished, Neil drove back to his place. As he was unlocking his door, he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned and saw that it was Mason.

After speaking with Max, Shade left for Legends, hoping Harold was there. He was. She told him that she needed to get to Philip in the Nevernever and asked if he knew an easier way then having to do a ritual. He didn't but he told her to get a hold of Helena. if anyone would know, it was her. Shade called her and asked her about it. Helena said that she could do it but not until the morning. She was catering a huge event. Shade thanked her and said that she would try on her own. Back in her basement, Shade cast the ritual and opened a rift to the Nevernever. Luckily, her point of entry turned out to be in Autumn's land. At the manor, she ran into some pixies. After making them some caramel, they agreed to take her to where Philip was (they also got her to promise to bring candy with her whenever she came to there).

They set off with the pixies leading the way. Entering a maze, Shade was led to the center. She saw Philip kneeling on a dais in the center. He seemed to be communing with something or someone. In front of him were two biers. The mummified remains of Fey were on them. Shade tried to get the pixies to inform Philip that she was there. They refused. Not knowing what else to do, she stepped onto the platform. With the first step, she could feel the power surrounding her. It only took a moment to realize her mistake. With her second step, she could feel the human part of herself being drained away and it being replaced by Fey. It took everything in her to move back to safer ground. She had managed to get Philip's attention however. He looked at her in amazement. No human had ever stepped onto the platform. In the few seconds she had been on the circle, her hair had grown longer, she seemed taller and thinner, and her ears had formed into slight points (Philip kept touching them until Shade told him to cut it out). Philip asked why she had come there. She told him about the Red Court and what Locke had found out. Then she brought up Max's proposal of an alliance. Philip asked if she trusted him. Shade said that she did. Philip nodded and told her to do what she thought was best. Business concluded, Philip opened a portal back to Vegas and Shade went home (one last thing about the whole experience. Shade is going to keep an eye out for any "new" Autumn Fey showing up. Hopefully Philip won't experiment with the whole human into Fey thing but Shade isn't taking any chances. She knows Philip way too well. That will definitely have to be stopped).

Neil turned to face Mason. With a smile, Mason told Neil that he hadn't had an invitation refused in awhile. Realizing the miscommunication, Neil explained that he had taken the card to be a threat and not an invitation. Mason asked Neil if he and Brandon would come to his place for a talk. He then left. Neil called Brandon to find out if he wanted to check out an invisible house. Perplexed but game, Brandon agreed.

They all met up at the empty lot. Looking at it with the Sight, Brandon saw that it seemed to be formed by the despair of ghosts. The three of them walked through the veil. Skip was very impressed. After knocking on the door and being invited in, Mason, Brandon, and Neil went into the sitting room. Skip was sent to the kitchen. Mason started the conversation by telling the two about the Spades and their role in Vegas. He went on to say that in the past few years seven of the Spades had been killed. Not by accidents, by murder. He feared that someone had learned who they were and were wiping them out. Being the Ace, he believed he was being saved for last. He spoke of his distrust and contempt for the Board (he did say that he would have included Shade in the deal but, because of her involvement with the Board, he wasn't sure if she could be trusted. What was worse was that Neil and Brandon didn't stick up for her. Shade would be very hurt if she knew that). They had turned from acting for good of Vegas to being part of the problem. The end shot was that he wanted Brandon and Neil to join the Spades. At first, Brandon flat out refused. Why should he do anything for Vegas when he had been treated like shit (Locke REALLY pissed him off)? Mason assured him that would not be the case if he accepted the job. It took a bit of convincing but Brandon accepted. Neil said that he would have to think about it.

That ended the session and it can only get better. Tomorrow night we will find out what happens next and we cannot wait!  

Ashen Stars- If you're going though hell...

...keep going.


Got together with Lana and Jay last week to create characters for the game that Jay will be running. The game is called Ashen Stars and I can already tell it is going to be crazy fun. It is a space opera setting (sort of- think Firefly meets Cowboy Bebop meets Star Trek) and it can be played as serious or as humorous as you want. Knowing us, it's going to have plenty of snark, fun, and massive amounts of high drama.

Game Background:

Seven years ago, the Mohilar had been defeated...barely. They had appeared in Combine space and quickly overran the Combine's defenses. The core planets had been irreparably poisoned. Billions of people/aliens had died. Industrial production had stopped. The entire economy collapsed. Untold numbers of ships had been destroyed. A last ditch engagement had resulted in a surprise defeat for the Mohilar. They abruptly vanished, leaving behind a decimated Combine.

Even though the war was not even a decade in the past, memories of it were growing vague and contradictory. This was due to a bizarre effect called the Bogey Conundrum. That the war was fought was not questioned. The destruction was also well remembered. However, just about everything else was fuzzy, at best. Flashes of memories would happen but trying to hold onto them was difficult.

Faced with the problem of trying to rebuild the Combine was a daunting task. Barely able to take care of the surviving inner core, the frontiers (more commonly referred to as the Bleed) were left basically to themselves. Realizing that some sort of law was needed, the powers of the Combine set up an organization known as Licensed Autonomous Zone Effectuators or Lasers. They are the law in the lawless Bleed. When situations arise, a call goes out. Lasers bid on the contracts and take care of whatever problem has come up.

Cast of Characters:

There are seven possible types to play in the game. I went standard human female. Lana decided to play a warrior locust/praying mantis species called the Kch-Thk. Jason chose to play one of the cybernetic and genetically altered cybes.

Lana's character idea is great. The Kch-Thk are a warrior race that eat anything and everything. In order to join the Combine, the entire race had to undergo genetic modification to quell that urge. No eating your allies/partners. Besides being bug like, they have a couple of other interesting characteristics. The Kch-Thk are not born. They go through a sort of migration into a larvae when they die. If they are deemed worthy, they are allowed to hatch. If not, they get fed to the other larvae. Their knowledge and personality are retained. Rck'rd (the name of Lana's character) is eight years into his current migration. However, something went a bit awry with it and he came out a little messed up. Okay, he was more then a little messed up. The war was a bit of a godsend to Rck'rd. He was/is an awesome fighter. It also allowed him to exert his dominance over the enemy. Once the war ended, he was at loose ends. How to show his dominance over the lesser beings now? He went in search of knowledge. After a bit of time and studying, he got the brilliant idea that, if he couldn't eat the humans to prove his dominance, he would fuck them into submission. That being decided, he started to study human behavior and social niceties. There was one huge problem with that. Actually, two major problems with that. Firstly, he is still a bug and wouldn't get very far while looking like that. That problem was solved with a bit viral manipulation. It allows him to look human and get the ladies. Secondly, even though he studied up on human relations, he isn't very good at it. It's a work in progress for him. If other members of his race knew what he was doing, they would think he was insane.

My character is a human female by the name of Carys. She had an...interesting upbringing. Her home planet is named Haven. It was a planetary experiment set up to prove that a society could be genetically planned/manipulated. Every person born has been genetically modified for their eventual place in society. Going to be a surgeon? You would be born with a high intelligence and dexterous fingers. Going to be a farmer? You would be modified to be strong and have endurance. Everyone would be satisfied and happy with their lives because that is what they had been born to do. It is a perfect world. Everything is overseen by a coalition of scientists. They are the ruling elite. Their experiment had been running smoothly for generations. There was no crime. There was no rebellion. They proudly pointed out their success to the other worlds. Then came Carys. Something went wrong. She was rebellious. She lied. She stole. She got into trouble. In other words, she was a typical human with free will. Frankly, they couldn't control her and she was fast becoming an embarrassment to the experiment. Then came the war and the powers that be cheerfully sent her off to (hopefully) die. In fact, they specifically requested that she be sent to the front. She didn't die. Once the war was over, the scientists decided that they wanted her back. They wanted to "fix" her and, if they couldn't do that, they wanted to erase her existence. She refused and met up in the Bleed with her friend Rck'rd. She is being VERY actively pursued.

Jason is playing a cybe. He too was involved in the war on the front lines as an officer. The cybes started out as human but due to their extensive genetic and cybernetic modifications, that status is up for debate. Some cybes believe that they are the logical next step in human evolution. Some even go so far to believe that they are a separate race all together. They are known as separatists.  Jason's character is one such. Other then that, not much is known about him (Jason is still fleshing out his character. I keep bugging him about details like a name and such but still waiting. I will update this when he finally gets everything to me).

Miscellaneous facts:

If you ask Carys and Rck'rd how they got their ship, they will tell you but it changes with each person who asks. The truth is that they stole it and they believe the original owner is looking for them to get it back. They also have a friendly competition going on about who can sleep with the most people. There is a dry erase board set up in the main living areas where they keep track of points.

The ship they own is of the Mandible class (We still need to come up with a name).

The game has an interpersonal ability called bullshit detector. Best. Ability. Ever. And, yes, we all took ranks in it.


That's about it for now. We will be playing this as a break from Dresden. More information will be coming as we get into the game proper and start romping through the universe. I cannot wait. It seems like it will be so much fun. Next entry will be the recap of the last Dresden game. I know...I know...I have been lax with timely updates but I will get better.

Dresden Files Las Vegas- It's A Dirty Job But Someones Got To Do It

Hello once again to all my readers (and by that I mean hi Lana!). It is time for me to update on the game. Readers of the Dresden books will know right away what happens in this installment. There is also a bit of overlap between the end of last session and the beginning of this one. That being said, it may have been a short session but it was action packed and so much fun. It also turned out very, very bloody.

It was the day after Brandon, Neil, and Skip had met with the Baron and Shade had met with Max. It turned out to be a normal day for all. The only thing to happen of note was a call from Uri to Shade. He told her to give Brandon a call. There was something going on that she could help him with and, if she agreed to help, her favor to him would be considered paid in full. She told Uri she would give Brandon a call later that night.

With the day over, Shade headed out to Legends. She had requested a meeting with Philip and Puck, without Heather. Getting there a bit early, she had a couple of drinks (Dealing with the Fey for ten years had turned Heather into a stressed out mess. Dealing with the Fey for six months had taught Shade the value of a pre-meeting drink). Philip and Puck finally showed up and they moved to a table. Once seated, Shade launched into the reason for them getting together. She explained that she was worried about Heather. Heather was stressed out and really needed time off from the job. Puck was confused. Heather didn't have a job. He paid for everything. All she did was take care of him. Why would she need time off? Logic not working (Shade didn't think it would with Puck but she was hoping that Philip would understand. That was the main reason for him being there), Shade went into total flattery mode...IE: the Fey were awesome and there was no way for humans to keep up and so on. It seemed to get through a bit. However, Philip clinched the deal by stating that he understood and that from now on Shade would have the last day of the month off. Not to be outdone, Puck declared that Heather would have the FIRST day of the month off. The meeting ended with Shade thanking Philip for his help and giving him a chaste kiss, which he managed to turn into something not so chaste (Philip thinks that Shade isn't interested but he is very wrong about that. She is very very tempted. Of course, she is tempted by more then a few different guys).

The boys were having a meeting of their own. They had met at Brandon's shop and were throwing out ideas on how to get Serephina and her entourage out of town. Just asking was not an option. That left bribing or killing. Killing seemed the go to plan. They knew what would kill Red Court Vampires. They just had to figure out how to get most, if not all, of them at once. Neil came up with a brilliant idea. They knew where the vampires were staying. Why not make the building invisible? Brandon thought about it and decided that it could be done but they needed help. He knew just who to ask. While he was getting stuff ready for a spell, Shade called. Skip answered the phone. After Brandon yelled that he was busy, she asked to speak to Neil. Neil picked up the phone and she told him about the phone call from Uri. Neil said that her help would be appreciated but that she would want to wait a bit before coming over. Brandon was in the middle of something. Shade asked if he was setting anything on fire (with Brandon that is always a good guess). Neil said that wasn't it. Shade agreed to wait. Hanging up, Neil turned his attention back to Brandon and the spell he was casting. It was for the coyote. The spell went off just fine and the coyote showed up. Brandon told it that he had a favor to ask of the Trickster. He needed assistance with making a building transparent at high noon on a certain date. The coyote asked why. Brandon answered that it would be fun. The coyote said that he would have to ask his boss and that he would let Brandon know. The coyote loped off.

Meanwhile, Shade, having an hour to kill, called Heather and asked her to come to Legends. When she showed up, Shade told her about the meeting and what had happened. Heather was surprised that Puck and Philip actually agreed to a day off. She suggested that they get it formally written into a contract. Uri would help with that and Heather told Shade she would set up a meeting. That taken care of, Shade left for Brandon's shop, stopping for coffee and sandwiches on the way. After passing out coffee and food, Neil and Brandon filled Shade in on the plan. Shade agreed that it would work. While discussing it some more, the coyote came back. The Trickster would love to help. Of course, that would mean that Brandon would owe the God a favor. All they needed to do was make sure the Avatar was with them. Not a problem. Brandon called Wyatt and arranged for everyone to meet at Legends (Shade should start charging a fee for meeting there. That seems to be the go to place for discussions). Before heading out, one thing of note happened. Neil and Skip engaged in a Soulgaze. Brandon had warned Skip about looking into someone's eyes but he didn't listen. Neil saw Skip standing at all the possible crossroads. Skip saw Neil as the gunslinger he was and that he was a good man.

The meeting with Wyatt turned out good. After hearing what he was needed for, Wyatt agreed to show up. The rest of evening was spent in research (Brandon and Shade) and skulking (Neil). The next day, the group met up in front of the hotel and set up for the ritual. First, Wyatt checked for a ward. There didn't seem to be any. Neil ran interference between the group and curious on-lookers. Wyatt, unsure on what he had to do, waited in the circle with Shade and Brandon. At noon, Wyatt remarked that he felt weird. That was the Trickster working through him. Both Brandon and Shade channeled the power. As the spell went off, everything connected with the building disappeared. Everyone inside started to freak out. There were screams, not all of them human. The Red Court Vampires exposed to the sunlight burst into flames. Luckily, no one besides the vampires were killed. That would have been bad. After all that, they decided a drink or two was in order and headed out to a nearby bar.

The next couple of weeks were pretty tense. Brandon took out an ad in the local newspaper. It simply read, "Duchess, go home." Neil kept to his usual routine. Shade and Heather had their meeting with Uri and got their contract. Mitch Mitchell from Truthisodes arrived in Vegas to report on the disappearing building and his belief in a cover-up. He also decided to make Vegas his home base. Brandon, Neil, Skip, and Shade heard through the grapevine that the Duchess had not been in the hotel. However, she believed that the attack had been a White Council trick and couldn't get out of town fast enough. The Baron was more than happy to help her pack.

After everything had died down. Shade, Neil, and Brandon received an invitation to dinner at the Baron's house. Showing his usual elegance and refinement, the invites were very ornate. All accepted the invitation. The night of the dinner came. Neil and Christine were the first to arrive. Shade and Max showed up next. Brandon and Skip followed close behind. A butler answered the door and ushered all into a formal sitting room. The Baron poured drinks for everyone and proceeded to thank Neil, Shade, Brandon, and Skip for their help in his delicate matter (Just thinking about the Baron is bringing out the Victorian writer in me). While the Baron was talking, Shade and Brandon felt...something. Both knew it was a spell. Shade knew that it was something unfamiliar and big. The Baron and the other Red Court in the room stopped what they were doing and then just exploded. Their chests burst open, showering everything in the room with blood and tissue. Skip reacted first. He started hysterically screaming. Christine called Uri and told him what happened. Shade calmly poured Christine and herself more wine and waited in the sitting room for Uri. Neil and Max actually checked things out. Brandon pulled the still hysterical Skip outside. After a bit, a very disheveled Uri showed up and asked what happened. Shade told him what she had felt with the magic. He suggested that we should leave and stay somewhere safe until what happened could be figured out. He also pointedly told Max not to talk about what happened. Neil headed out for his bolthole in Brandon's basement. Brandon and Skip opted for a room at the Luxor. Shade refused to be driven from her place and had Max drive her home. He left right right away; he had some calls to make (so much for your "suggestion" Uri). Shade called Philip and told him what happened. Philip decided that this would be a fine time for a vacation in the Nevernever and told Shade to handle it. She was NOT happy with either him or his order.

After some time passed, the expected call from Uri came. Shade told him that Philip was unavailable and she would be dealing with this matter. Uri asked her to call Heather and to see if she could get Puck to head into the Nevernever as well. Shade said she would do what she could. She got a hold of Heather and told her to get Puck and met Shade at Legends. There Shade tried to get Puck to go. However, she couldn't. Heather stepped in at that point and, by using tears and flattery, got Puck to agree to go (Shade made a mental note of that tactic. It will come in handy). Shade and Heather headed to the Luxor. After hearing from Shade and Brandon what happened, the Board members debated what was going on. Finally, not having enough information, Warden Locke suggested that everyone find out what they could and they would meet again the next night.

The game ended there. As I wrote above, readers of the Dresden books will have a pretty good idea what event from the books happened that night. It was great fun and things will be very interesting in Vegas for awhile. Next Sunday we won't be playing Dresden. We will be making characters for an alternative game being run by Jay. The game is called Ashen Stars and it looks fun as hell.

Dresden Files Las Vegas- It Was Electric

Just like the Dresden books, our games follow a pretty set pattern. One or two sessions to go over downtime and to set up the situation. One or two sessions for action and whatever we do to fix the current situation. Finally one session for conclusion and more down time. The last session was downtime and set up. What we are getting involved in this time has the potential to really be bad. I know I ALWAYS say that but now we are dealing with the outside Red Court. The Red Court of Vegas tends to draw the more civilized members. The outsiders are much...much...much more predatory. However, I am getting ahead of myself.

It was the middle of June and the city was in full tourist mode. Not that Shade, Neil, or Brandon really noticed. They all had things going on. Brandon spent most of his downtime training his new apprentice on magic and the city's supernatural structure. Skip readily learned everything. He turned out to be pretty good at research. Of course, Skip did complain about not being able to use technology. Brandon found that amusing. Neil grunged out and made a play for the World Championship Poker title. His natural skill enabled him to get a seat but he did not win. He wasn't the first knocked out, however. In personal matters, he and Christine were still unofficially dating. Their relationship had finally been consummated, much to Christine's (and Uri's, I bet) relief. Shade put the finishing touches on the whole Freemont Experience deal. She set up an interview between Philip, Puck, and a reporter from 24/7- the hottest city magazine. The goal was to get the word out about the renaissance of the Freemont area and to bring people in. It was a success. Ungodly amounts of money should start rolling in for the Fey (Plan number one crossed off her list and onto number two).

The game proper started with a call made to Shade. It was Philip asking if she would meet him at Legends. Of course she said yes. Getting there, Philip informed her that there was going to be a christening that Saturday and a party afterwards. Apparently Angelica was adopting a baby boy. They would not be going to the church but they would attend the party. Philip went on to inform Shade that her Saturday would not be spent working but would rather be spent getting properly ready for said event. Since he was paying for it, Shade agreed (Though she did give a fairly epic eye roll to his statement. Shade dresses in classic, vintage, retro styles and always looks good).

Brandon received a call about the christening and the party from Angelica. He told her he would be happy to attend. After hanging up, he told Skip what was going on. Skip became very excited about the whole thing. This would be his first event with all the major players being around. Brandon made sure to give Skip a few warnings- chiefly about vampires and how they were to be avoided at all costs. Then came the shopping. Both men went out and bought new suits for the happy event.

Neil got his call from Christine. She asked if he would be available for an event Saturday. Neil said he would be. She told him it would be a christening and party. Neil being Neil went out and bought the most annoying toy he could find. He, unlike Brandon and Skip did not have to go shopping (that man has more suits then a clothing store and has one for any occasion).

Saturday came and Helena picked Shade up for her day of pampering. She got the full treatment- hair, nails, makeup, new dress, new shoes. It took all day but the end result was that Shade looked stunningly beautiful. Brandon, Skip, Neil, and Christine showed up at the church and went in to sit down. Skip kept asking questions and rubbernecking. Uri was not there but most of the other major players were. The christening went off without a problem. The godparents were Drusilla Malvora and Warden Locke (Just think about all that. The half Fey baby fathered by Brandon was adopted by the Scion of Heaven, Angelica, and now has a vampire and a Warden as godparents. That kid is going to be a psychologist's wet dream in about eighteen years).

Evening came and it was time for the party. People started to filter into the ballroom. Brandon was there with Skip. Shade, not slipping in quietly as she would usually do, made an entrance on Philip's arm (She is actually gaining quite a bit of confidence in herself and her abilities. Not to mention that she knows she looks damn fine). Neil and Christine arrived shortly afterwards. The usual cast of characters showed up as well. Skavis looked his usual scuzzy self. Locke looked his usual tacky self in an electric baby blue suit. Uri managed to make a white suit look good. One notable entrance was made by Baron Drake and his entourage. Instead of the usual five or six, he came in with about twenty members. However, there seemed to be tension between the Baron's usual minions and the new members. Of special note was a lady wearing a sexy, slut red dress. Drake and the lady, named Countess Serephina, separated as soon as they entered. There was one other thing noticed about the newest Red Court vampires. They seemed extremely predatory, like they were culling the weak.

This being Skip's introductory affair, Brandon took him around the room and introduced him to everyone. In true douche bag fashion, Brandon made it clear to some that screwing with Skip a bit would be okay. Shade took great delight in discombobulating Skip a bit (It was the pushed up breasts that did it). Neil milled about saying his hellos and keeping an eye on the unknown Red Court members. He noticed that they were never alone and also noticed that they all avoided the major players, especially the slutty looking woman. After a bit, Shade mingled as well. She even managed a civil conversation with Locke (She doesn't quite know what the problem is between them. She happens to like him very much. Maybe she needs to tease him a bit more).

After making his rounds, Neil was approached by Serephina. They made polite, and not so polite, conversation. Well, it was all polite but the undertones to most of it was not. Social combat ensued between them. Finally, having had enough, Neil ended the conversation by introducing her to Locke. She was not happy about it. However, Neil seemed pleased.

Brandon and Skip were eating when they were approached by a plain-ish woman in business attire. She introduced herself as Rita Wilson and asked if she was speaking to Brandon. Brandon answered yes. The Accountant pulled out a stack of paperwork for Brandon and Skip to fill out. Apparently, taking on an apprentice had put Brandon into the score book. Brandon tried to get out of it but Rita called over Skavis to set Brandon straight. Skavis was amused by Brandon's lack of understanding about the point system and didn't hesitate to announce that to the room.

Right after that bit of fun, Shade and Neil noticed that Penny was being harassed by a new Red Court vampire. Not hesitating one bit, Shade headed straight towards the two. Neil took a more roundabout path. Getting close, Shade started talking to Penny about how good it was to see her and that they really needed to catch up on all the news. The vampire, not liking the interruption, snarled at Shade to leave and mind her own business. He followed that up with a push. Off balance a bit, Shade grabbed Penny's hand and pulled her closer. Neil, noticing things were getting out of hand, made his way over and suggested that the vampire stop bothering Penny and Shade. Penny, just wanting to get away, let out an ear piercing scream which brought the room to a standstill. The vampire was not happy and was even less happy when he tried to push Neil away and ended up face planted into a cake. The vampire's night got even worse when he straightened back up. Shade stepped forward and held the sickle to his throat (Yes, Shade hates violence and really doesn't want to use it but, after what happened to Tess, she will not let another friend be hurt). Baron Drake bustled over, talking about the insult being done to the vampire. His eyes told another story though. Serephina was not pleased with what happened either. Drusilla absolutely exploded over the whole thing (Penny is her daughter). The words 'blood feud' were mentioned. The Warden stepped in and told Serephina and the other Red Court Vampires they would have to leave. They did so. The rest of the night was fairly peaceful.

The next day was uneventful for everyone. Shade did take the afternoon off to get a new tattoo on her left shoulder. It was of a Celtic inspired apple with a sickle making up the side curve. The sickle had various runes faintly etched into it. That evening Brandon received a call from the Baron, asking for a meeting. He agreed. After hanging up, Brandon called Neil and told him about Drake's call. He wanted to know if Neil would skulk around the area a bit and attend the meeting with him and Skip. Neil said he would. The area for the meeting was mainly office buildings and was not in Drake's usual territory. It didn't seem to be a trap or anything like that. After a quick trip to the shop, Brandon and Skip met up with Neil and waited for the Baron to show. Drake and his people finally arrived and they all went inside. The Baron first wanted to extend his apologies for the behavior of his brethren. They were unable to follow the rules of Vegas. He then explained that he really wanted Serephina and her crew to leave but she outranked him. Therefore, he couldn't just ask her to go. That was where Brandon, Skip, and Neil came in. He wanted them to get his unwelcome visitors out of Vegas and he didn't care how they did it. They could bribe,scare, or kill them. They just had to go. Brandon and Neil said they would help him with his problem. The Baron seemed relieved.

Shade, not being at the meeting, was having a fairly quiet night. She had come to the decision that enough was enough and invited Max for dinner...in her apartment. Halfway through the meal, she bluntly asked him when things were going to get a bit more sexual between them. A bit taken aback, he asked her what she wanted from the relationship. Shade answered that she wasn't planning on sending out save the date cards if they had sex. However, there came a time in a relationship where it either stayed as friendship or led to something more lasting (a full blown relationship)and more physical. She wanted to know if he was open to exploring that option. He said he was, with caveats. The date ended happily and with a bit more action (when I first wrote this, I couldn't see how they could work out but as the game progressed, it became a possibility and then a definite. Still not sure if it's going to lead to an actual wedding but I hope so.)