Dresden Files Las Vegas- It's Sabotage

It has been a few weeks since I posted and what exhausting weeks they were! First I flew to London to close a real estate deal. Then I hopped over to Paris to check out the spring fashion shows. Finally I ended up in New Orleans for Mardi Gras...

...okay, I am lying. I actually spent most of these past weeks playing Diablo. It wasn't my fault though. Blizzard changed practically everything in anticipation for the expansion release and I got sucked back into the game. You would not believe the number of legendary drops I landed. I also got my first green (set) item. Talk about whetting the appetite. Damn you Blizzard!!

As exciting as that was, it was not as exciting as Dresden. We had fights, rituals, murder, and zombies! Someone is out to get us and we have no idea (as of now) who this person is or what we did to piss them off.

The game started with Brandon and Skip arguing upstairs. Any pretense of self control was thrown away as Skip had a total breakdown. Skip shouted that Brandon had no idea how he felt about having to keep a part of himself secret; that Liz had been the only who wanted to be around him. Brandon, with more composure, answered that he did know what Skip was going through and that Skip had to understand that his neck was on the line too. It ended with Neil and Shade coming upstairs and Skip storming off in tears.  With that crises resolved (or at least as resolved as it's going to be for now), the three went to visit Patience at the Historical Society. If anyone had information about the Phages, it would be her.


The idea to talk to Patience turned out to be a good one. She had quite a bit to tell Shade, Neil, and Brandon. Phages were, she said, spirits from the Nevernever. Usually spirits of sorrow, they fed on humans and their emotions. Though there could be Phages that fed on positive emotions, they were almost always tuned the negative. They could be summoned, compelled, and bound. Holy items were one defense against them (she didn't say anything about ceiling fans though- sorry Neil/Jay). Patience went on to say that the Phages actually possessed a person. That explained how it was able to cross Skip's ward. Armed with the new information, Brandon, Neil, and Shade left. Brandon went to his shop and started to put out feelers to the local sorcerers. Neil and Shade went to Luxor to look up a friend- Jeremy Running Mouth.


At the Luxor, Shade and Neil quickly found Jeremy. Shade led him to the bar for a drink and some talk while Neil excused himself to make a couple of calls. Standing apart from the other two, Neil placed a call to one of his police contacts. Neil asked him about any other weird suicides. After checking, Scott came up with a couple of cases that were odd enough to merit a look. Back at the bar, Shade asked for Jeremy's help. It took a bit of doing but Shade was eventually able to get a short list of local ectomancers that could shed more light on the phages. Neil and Shade left the Luxor; Neil to get on with his day and Shade to work where she called Brandon and gave him the names supplied by Jeremy.


Of the three names Brandon had, he was able to get a hold of two- Madame Fortuna, a local psychic and a Harold. He set up an appointment with Madame Fortuna's receptionist for that evening. His call to Harold wasn't so easy. From the beginning Harold seemed sketchy and nervous. Brandon finally convinced Harold to meet up with him at a nearby Olive Garden. It took the promise of a consulting fee and a free lunch to do so. Getting to the Olive Garden, Brandon was waiting when Harold walked in. He was a bigger man that was very careful to not touch anything. His attitude had not improved since the call. He was still nervous and more then a bit angry. After ordering enough food for three, Brandon and Harold started talking. Brandon explained the two cases (Elizabeth and Tess) and what had happened at the morgue. Harold said that didn't seem the normal m.o. for phages. He threw out the knowledge that they could be intelligent and communicated with and suggested that Brandon summon it. Other then that, he didn't have anything more to add. Harold brushed off Brandon's offer of a continuing collaboration and left the restaurant with his fee and leftovers. Brandon paid for the meal and headed back to his shop.


Neil's day was going as usual when he answered a call from Christine. She asked if he had pissed anyone off lately. Neil answered in the negative and she hung up. A few minutes later Christine called back and asked him to meet her for lunch. Neil said yes and named a place and time. After being seated, Christine asked again about the possibility of Neil pissing someone off and explained that something weird had happened. She was out when a creepy looking guy came up and touched her. She could feel something try and go through her. Neil asked if she would recognize the guy and she said yes. He had been a hobo with dark hair, pale skin, and some facial scruff. The two took a ride around the neighborhood looking for the guy. At a convenience store they got a positive response. With a better description, Neil put the word out that he was looking for the guy. It took some time but eventually got a lead on the guy and headed to where he had been spotted. Neil found the guy and followed him on foot. The bum ducked into an alley and attacked Neil as he came up. The fight was short but very painful...for the bum. After receiving a vicious jab to the throat and a broken kneecap, the bum was on the ground and in great pain. Neil watched as a black mist poured from the bum's mouth and eyes and dissipated.


Brandon worked the rest of the until it was time for appointment with Madame Fortuna. Getting to her place, he saw that it was the stereotypical gypsy fortune teller place- dark lighting, creepy knick-knacks, and incense. When he went into the back, Madame Fortuna took one look at Brandon and dropped the mysterious mystic act. She made it perfectly clear that if she had known he was a sorcerer he wouldn't be there. Brandon tried to get more information out of her but she didn't have anything new to add. Business concluded, she not so politely ordered Brandon to leave and not come back


Shade spent her day working (she does have to do that occasionally). After closing up, she called Brandon's store and asked Skip about Tess. She was told that Tess was awake and seemed okay. Shade stopped at Brandon's shop to collect Tess and told her that she would be staying with Shade and Max for a few days. They stopped at Tess's apartment to grab a few things and headed to Shade's. Max was pretty understanding about having a guest. They were having some wine and conversation when Shade received a call from Neil. He briefly explained what had happened with the bum and they agreed to meet for breakfast. Shade called Brandon and let him know what was going on.


At breakfast, the three shared their stories and information over bacon and eggs. While talking, Neil's phone rang. It was Scott, his police contact. Apparently there had been two very unusual deaths the night before and he thought Neil should know considering his interest before. The bodies had been torn to pieces. The names of the victims were Harold and Madame Fortuna. Appetites pretty much killed, Shade, Brandon, and Neil drove to Shade's tattoo parlor. Using a divination ritual, Shade was able to "project" what had happened to Harold onto a mirror. They watched as the door to Harold's apartment busted in and a big male entered. The man was zombie-like with decaying skin and what seemed to be glowing eyes. Harold attempted to flee but was caught. The zombie ripped his head off before starting on the rest of him. It was pretty gruesome.  




After seeing that Neil and Brandon left to check a few things out. Shade, knowing that Brandon and Neil could work faster then her, spent the day with Tess helping her to heal faster. That involved the two of them getting Mani/Pedi's and doing some shopping (rituals are great. You can pretty much do whatever you want. However it takes time. Lots and lots of time. Besides, Tess staying with Shade had kind of killed any intimate time with Max and that was not making either Max or Shade happy).


Brandon placed a call to Wyatt. Unable to get him on the phone, he called Neil and asked if he would text Wyatt about lunch. Neil did so. Meeting for lunch, Brandon asked Wyatt how he was doing. After a few more pleasantries, Brandon told Wyatt everything that was going on and then asked if he had heard of any zombies running about the city. Wyatt answered in the negative but agreed to take a look. He removed his hat and concentrated a few seconds. He "felt" that there was something in Vegas that shouldn't be but it was blocking his sight. The closest he could get was an area in North Vegas, specifically a house. Brandon thanked and left to call Neil. After hearing what Wyatt saw, Neil agreed to meet Brandon at the house.


Brandon and Neil arrived at the house and saw that it was an old, decrepit, boarded up hovel. The aura around it reeked of despair. Taking a look around, Brandon and Neil noticed that the area was strangely deserted. There was not a single person about- no dopers, bums, prostitutes, or any other types that should have been about. They called Shade and told her where to meet them. When she got there she noticed the aura right away. Brandon and Shade decided to open the Sight to take a closer look at the house. With the Sight Brandon saw the house was filled with phages, their eyes glowing. He could see that they were bound there. Shade's Sight affected her even more. She saw everything that Brandon had seen plus there were spelled Eldritch chains holding the phages inside. She also knew that she could recognize the spell caster if they used a similar spell in her presence. It was too much and Shade passed out. Neil, being a gentleman, attempted to catch her, saving her from hitting her head. Brandon and Neil stood on the sidewalk debating what to do then.


Thus ended the night. What an enjoyable session! Someone has it out for us and we have no idea who. All we have are zombies and phages coming at us and our loved ones. Will we be able to figure it out? The next gaming session has been played so I know how it turns out and I will say that it is awesome. I will get that one posted as soon as I can. I can't wait until we play again. Lana should definitely be proud of this story-line.

Dresden Files Las Vegas- Devil On Your Back, I Can Never Die

It's been a week or so since I posted the hiatus/what happened in the meantime post and it's time to get onto the night's session. I am liking the longer breaks in the game  It gives me a chance to really think about what I post and to make sure I get everything written down.


The first session back in play went very, very well. The time seemed to fly by and we wasted no time getting back into the thick of Vegas problems. Of course if we didn't, it wouldn't be much fun. Some bad and nasty's have come to visit and we are once again in the wrong place at the right time!


It being a Wednesday, Shade got up and headed out to work. Her new tattoo artist, Lars, was already there and handed her the mail. It was the usual stuff until she got to a plain white envelope. Opening it, she pulled out an Ace of Spades. The only writing on it was an address.  Since the existence of the Spades is only rumor, Shade isn't really too concerned. After taking care of a few work details, Shade made her way to the address on the card. It was in a bad part of town and seemed to be nothing but an old, rundown house. She walked up to the front door and knocked. She thought she felt...something but, being a practical person and taking note of the thugs watching her from across the street, she decided not to investigate inside. She did write her own message (Next time don't be so cryptic. Thank you for the note) and slipped it under the door.


Brandon had been at work for awhile when he noticed that Skip was late. With the tension between them, it wasn't too surprising. Having had enough, Brandon called Skip. A very distraught Skip answered and replied to Brandon's questions with a "Fuck Off!" and slammed the phone down. That got Brandon's attention and he drove over to Skip's. There he was greeted by the sight of cop cars and flashing lights. Going up to the actual apartment, Brandon saw that the door was open and cops were milling about. Brandon asked one of the cops just what in the hell happened. The cop asked him about his relationship to Skip and if he knew an Elizabeth Dandridge. Just then a cop led Skip into the hallway. He had blood on his hands and looked in shock. Brandon asked if he needed anything and received a look of death as answer. Having much practice ignoring death glares, Brandon told Skip that he would find out what was going on and that, if needed, a lawyer would be provided. Not being able to get anything more from the police, Brandon went back to his store and called Neil. Before he left he was able to detect the ward Skip had set and tell that it was intact.


Neil, after doing his usual morning routine (running and the daily minion check), was having lunch when he received Brandon's call. Brandon explained the situation as well as he knew it and asked Neil if he would use his contacts to check things out. Neil agreed to do so and after eating started making calls. A well placed officer was able to tell Neil that Skip was a person of interest in a possible suicide/possible murder. Other then that, he was only able to learn that Skip would be released after his questioning. Neil called Brandon back and let him know what he had learned.


After being released, Skip made his way to the Sleight of Hand and Brandon. Brandon only asked one thing of Skip- to tell him that he had not killed her. That set Skip into hysterics as he denied having anything to do with her death. Taking Skip downstairs, Brandon poured a couple of drinks into him and got the whole story. Liz had been fine as far as Skip knew. A little down and sad but nothing that would explain what happened. Skip told Brandon how he had woken up that morning and found her in the bathtub with her wrists slit. As he talked, Brandon "checked" him out just be sure he was telling the truth. He was. Brandon then asked if Skip had accidentally summoned anything or pissed anybody off. Again, Skip answered in the negative. After getting what happened sorted out, Brandon offered his spare room to Skip, who accepted. They stopped off to grab some of Skip's personal items and while there Brandon saw the bathroom. The word bloodbath best described it.


Figuring that enough time had passed to make a call again, Neil phoned his police contact and was told that Skip had been released and that the case would be filed as a suicide. The only fingerprints on the weapon were hers and no other footprints had been found at the scene. Covering the bases, Neil called around to ask about any new White Court Vampires in town. He learned that there was more then a few new in town but none that seemed to be dangerous or loose cannons. Neil's last call was to inform Mason what had happened.


After dark, Neil was out and about when he felt a shadow appear behind him. It was Mason himself (with the coolest entrance routine ever). Mason first asked if Neil's friend Shade had received his message. Neil answered that he didn't. The talk then turned to Skip and that situation. Mason told Neil to keep his eye on things and to keep him informed.


After the card incident, Shade's day was uneventful. With the work day over, she headed to meet max for dinner. They talked about the day's events. Max asked her if she had heard about some sort of gruesome murder and if so, should he be concerned. Shade replied that she hadn't heard anything and that she would keep an ear out for anything going on. They had a nice dinner and a nice evening- even if Max did rather subtlety bring up children (Thank god Max is very, very rich and doesn't ask Shade to cook. The child issue is going to have to be dealt with Shade explaining to him about why she doesn't want them right now, if ever. That conversation is going to be interesting!).


Brandon spent his night babysitting a grieving Skip.


The next morning the death of Elizabeth was on the news. Shade, after watching it, called Brandon and asked if it was okay if she came over. Arriving there with coffee and breakfast, Shade went right over to Skip with an "Oh sweetie" and lots of hugs. It took some doing but she managed to convince Skip that he needed to eat and get cleaned up. While he was doing so, Brandon and Shade talked the situation over. Realizing that something magical could be the problem and needing to get at the apartment or body, they called Neil. If anyone had the contacts to get them access to either, it would be him. There was some talking back and forth about the best way to go about things and they eventually agreed to meet at the city morgue later that night.

In preparation for that night, Neil got together a semi-realistic badge and some made up files of currently open investigations to which he had made a few minor but critical changes. Brandon called around to the newspapers asking if they had any knowledge of upswings in the number of suicides for the city. It took a bit of work but he did find out that there had been four or five just in the past couple of weeks. Shade spent her day preparing for the Divination ritual she would be using on the body.


Not wanting to deal with a great number of people, Brandon, Shade, and Neil met up later that night and went to the morgue. Knowing that looking like you belong is half the battle, they all walked in with confidence. They were able to get to the autopsy room without incident and then it was time for Neil to take over. Walking directly to the medical examiner, Neil pulled out his files and started interrogating him about the "discrepancies" in his examination notes. At the words internal investigation, Fred turned pale and caved into Neil's request that he step out of the room to answer questions.


With those two out of the room and Brandon acting as a shield, Shade walked over to the drawers, pulled open the one containing Elizabeth's body, and activated the spell. Right away she could tell that the wounds were self inflicted. She saw what looked like a magical sooty hand print on the girl's arm. Her emotional state at the time of her death was pure pain and anguish. She also saw a dark looking ghost that was feeding on the corpse. It only took a second for Shade to see the specter... and for the specter to see her. It let out a horrible scream and reached for her. The shock of what she saw caused Shade to lose control of her magic and lights, computers, and outlets all started sparking and going out. In the chaos the ghost managed to attack Shade and it seemed to pull energy out of her, leaving her feeling a bit sad (Listening to the Cure bummed, not listening to Morrissey angst. Had to get that clarified). While Neil was sending Fred away (at a run!), Brandon turned and attacked the ghost with a spell, pushing it out of the room. Shade moved back to where Brandon was and the two of them managed to combine their wills to destroy the ghost. It shrieked and crumbled into dust when the spell hit it. Deciding that there was nothing else to do there and not wanting to answer any inconvenient questions, the three left. In a very controlled hurry.


Still feeling the effects of the ghost touch, Shade told the two men what she had seen and then told them she was going to her shop to be alone. That wasn't any good, so she called Max and asked him to meet her there. He did and she told him all that had happened- Skip, the body, the ghost, everything. Afterwards, she felt a bit better and they spent the night upstairs.


Brandon and Neil left the morgue for Brandon's house. To their not so happy surprise, they found that Skip was not there and they left to go looking for him. Once again, with his excellent contacts, Neil put out the word for everyone to be on the lookout for Skip. They stopped first at Skip's apartment and talked to the cop guarding the door. The cop told Neil and Brandon that Skip had been there but had left when he couldn't get inside. Brandon asked if he could leave a note, just in case Skip came back. The cop agreed. Their second stop was to the Sleight of Hand where they found the shop lit up and the door unlocked. They found Skip downstairs frantically looking through the books, hoping to get some sort of answer to what happened. It took a bit of social combat but Brandon was able to get Skip calmed down enough to tell him of the night's events. With a starting point, Skip spent the rest of the night looking for information on the feeding ghosts.


The next morning Shade woke up and went downstairs to her tattoo parlor. She noticed the message light on her machine was blinking and hit play. It was a call from Tess, sounding sad and lonely, asking if Shade wanted to get together because she was feeling a bit down. Shade called her back immediately. Tess seemed even more sad and upset then in call from the night before but told Shade not to bother with coming over since she was so busy with work, her husband, and stuff. Shade hung up and raced over to Tess's apartment. Shade let herself in and, using the Sight, saw the same type of ghost feeding from her best friend. Knowing she couldn't handle it there and by herself, Shade called Max and asked him to come over to help her get Tess to Brandon's. Shade then called Brandon and let him know what was going on. She also asked him to call Neil and have him there. It took a bit of manhandling but they managed to get Tess to Brandon's shop, where they were able to dispel the ghost.


Thus ended the game for the night and what a night it was! It looks like we have a new bad thing in Vegas. Now we just have to figure out if they are being sent by a person or group or if they are a side effect from the generally darker Vegas. The next gaming night is set for the 23rd, so I will be updating after that exciting session. I cannot wait!

Dresden Files Las Vegas- Be My Mirror, My Sword, My Shield, My Missionaries In A Foreign Field

I have always found that a sign of a great gaming session is how quickly time passes and this last Sunday, the time just flew! After a break we once again stepped into Vegas and it's cast of characters.




Due to the break, the game picked up a year from the last session. To get back into character, Lana sent out emails asking what our characters would have done in that time, what aspects we would want to change, and what skills and stunts we would like. She also sent out a general "state of the city' email. So, that is where I will begin.

In the last year, the political climate and situations in Vegas changed dramatically. Uriel has held onto his position as Chairman of the Board by his teeth, through some protests of the different factions from time to time. It sometimes seems like he doesn't want the position, but Locke has declined to retake the position and no one else seems to want it. He more or less has been able to negotiate truces/peace treaties with different factions of the supernatural world, cementing Vegas' "neutral spot" reputation and enforced by written treaties. However, infighting within Vegas has reached an all new high, especially between Skavis and the faerie courts.

Instead of being satisfied with the point system (though that is still in place and used), occasionally "accidents" will happen to a few people. The faerie courts have not been quiet, especially as their population has expanded almost exponentially as changelings have either flocked to the city or been discovered to have been in the city. Literally overnight both faerie courts have become major powers, and seem reinvigorated. As mentioned above, they are locked in conflict with the Skavis branch of the White Court vampires, as they are expanding into Skavis' territory to the north... again, almost at an exponential rate. Over the summer, Skavis seemed to be holding his own, but when Halloween hit, there was a massive influx of faeries as many, if not all, of the changelings in the city made their Choice and became fae.

The pixies formed their own kingdom, more or less, with King Jenks calling it the "Court of All Seasons". They do tasks for people for a price, and the King seems pretty canny on what jobs to take, and what ones not to take. They've kept a low profile, but it's not uncommon to see them flitting back and forth.

During the summer, The Call of the Wild hotel & casino finished construction, which is a jungle/wilds theme adult amusement park. For those in the know, it's owned by the shifters in general and has an additional add-on underneath, which is rumored to be a gladiatorial arena where people fight to the death.

With Max and Shade marrying, Max seemed to calm down quite a bit and grow into his role as a liaison between Marcone's freehold in Chicago and the freehold of Vegas. He and Uriel hate each other, but put aside their differences to work on business first. The drug trade has also increased in Vegas, mostly likely due to the Red Court's absence. However, there are still rumors of a 'red club' or 'red chess court' and sometimes even 'red court' going on, and investigative reporter Mitch Mitchell has been to Vegas many times, reporting on the mysterious organization, which he believes is responsible for underground slave trading.

That's rather unusual as there has been a massive influx of supernaturals into town, of all types, most of which feed on humans (of course). While they have been informed of the rules, the strong arm of the Board has been busy keeping order. Missing persons cases have been being closed at a record rate, with many children and young adults being found safe and returned to their parents.

Two factions have kept their own in relative order, though, those being Skavis and Malvora. All new Malvora vampires simply go to the Academy and stay, or don't find the lifestyle to their choosing and leave. All new Skavis family members--not that many of them migrate to Vegas being busy elsewhere--end up staying, quite contentedly. There were rumors that Frederick was going to marry Melinda Raith, but in late September, it was announced that Frederick Skavis and Penelope Malvora were engaged (and threw an immensely huge and more than a bit gothic engagement party). More rumors say that Drusilla is ready to step down as the head of the Malvora clan and Penny is due to take her place, but those are unsubstantiated. The Malvoras have been trying to treat with the fae courts to back off of Skavis, but so far little headway has been made. The Raiths seem to be staying out of any conflicts, and the head of the House Melinda simply watches.

With alliances between factions, the board members have been arguing both for and against melding different factions and shrinking the governing body of Vegas. Nothing has been done about that yet though. They seem to be busy trying to keep the White Council out of Vegas, though it's impossible. A few White Council wizards have been spotted here and there throughout, but they mind their manners and don't go out of their way to cause trouble. Trouble finds them though, as many of the sorcerers resent their presence and go out of their way to make any stay uncomfortable for the wizards. Most of the sorcerers, no matter what cabal they belong to, are downright hostile to the wizards, and they've been refused service in many places, some wizards being banned from the strip entirely.

The Spades have been kept busy putting Vegas' collective foot down for troublemakers. Generally, Robert only asks the Spades keep order subtly, at their own discretion. Only when a bigger problem arrives does he ask them directly to do something. Although nothing "big" has happened, there are plenty of smaller disputes and problems to keep their hands full simply diffusing situations.

With all those new arrivals, the Nevernever has taken on some flavors which were not there before, seeming to take a darker turn. The faerie courts are brighter than ever though, but inbetween them in the Vegas Nevernever lays a dark mist. The massive ley line along the strip is, of course, noticeable and used for navigation, but if one steps off the path, they have only their own luck and skill to get them through to get out alive and unscathed. The corollary here is that Vegas is slightly darker as well, as one side of the veil reflects the other, and vice versa. A cloud of tension hangs over the city.

Wyatt has kept a low profile, and somehow manages to continue to be undetected. He's adopted a dog, a mutt, and just works, when he's not out in the desert tracing exactly where his boundaries are, physically. He's easy to get ahold of, and is generally more than willing to help out in what ways he can. Every once in a while, he says he sees or feels something watching him, but he can never pinpoint where or who.

The city is not the only thing in a state of flux. Each of our cabal has also been busy, in one way or another.


Brandon spent most of his year pissing people off, which wasn't too surprising. His apprentice Skip found a girlfriend and found out what happens when your girlfriend and your mentor dislike each other. Things became even more tense when Skip decided to tell Elizabeth about his being a wizard. Brandon objected strenuously and physically. Things are still very unsettled between the two men.


Brandon had even less luck with women. After a successful insemination (at least as far as she was concerned), Helena proposed to Brandon that he continue his stud duties. Brandon found that idea not to his liking. When telling her so in true Brandon fashion, he was less then diplomatic. In fact, he was rather insulting. Whatever Autumn favor he had rapidly declined at that point.


Apprentices and female Fey were not the only people Brandon had to contend with during the year. He received offers of affiliation from both the Vegas sorcerer factions and the White Council. Already being a Spade he declined both, the White Council a bit more forcefully then the city magic users.


Neil (Jay didn't give out much information about how Neil spent his year, so most of what I am putting here is a bit speculative. I have a vague idea of what he did but nothing too concrete. If I am way off base and either Jay or Lana reads this, please let me know!) spent a good part of the year traveling about playing poker. When in Vegas, he spent much of his time setting up his new office and making his rounds. He seemed to make some sort of deal involving the Pixies and the sewers. He also set up a new version of the "Red Court" (this is blatant OC knowledge but I am putting it in because I am sure it will be big in game). Right now, the existence of the group is only rumor.


Shade's year was very busy. She shocked more then a few people when she stepped down as Phillip's Autumn Lady. Phillip was NOT happy about it but with some fast talking, Shade managed to keep any bad feelings at bay. She maintained contact with the Freemont Experience liaison Marissa. With Freemont rapidly expanding, she also brought in another tattoo artist/piercer for her shop.


Shade kept in touch with Neil, Brandon, Skip, and Wyatt. She also started to spend more time at the Historical Society talking with Patience. King Jenks of the Pixies tried to extort more money and goods from Shade but she managed to keep the deal between them as first started.


On a more personal note, Shade and Max did get married. For awhile it seemed like Shade would be a runaway bride due to a few issues. Max being a mortal would have a normal lifespan. Shade being a wizard would live for hundreds of years. She wasn't sure if she could stand the pain of watching him grow old, die, and then spend the rest of her years missing him. However, true love trumped whatever fears she had about a mortal and a wizard being together. The wedding was perfect. The bride was beautiful. The groom was nervous and handsome. The reception was classy, elegant, unique and fun was had by all who attended. They have been married for about six months and are very happy.


That pretty much brings everything up to date and the second part of this post will deal with game session proper.


Dresden Files Las Vegas- It's Opening Time Down On Fascination Street

Once again we are dipping our toes into the Dresdenverse and continuing the Las Vegas game. It feels good to get back to the characters, city, and storyline we love. We will only be playing once a month, which will allow for lots of downtime and much less stress for everyone involved.


To get back into Vegas mode, I have put together a list of characters and places as sort of a refresher. The list is separated into sections to make it easier. Because of that, some characters are on more then one list. For characters not listed under a specific family or organization, I will include a brief description. I really hope this ends up being a little bit helpful.


Player Characters: Neil Fine, Brandon Wall, Shade (Juno Bishop)


Board Members: Warden Locke, Uriel White, Melinda Raith, Lord Philip, Lord Puck, Thomas Stone, Lexie, Angelica Black, Drusilla Malvora, Fredrick Skavis


The Spades: Robert Mason, Lucinda Raith, Neil Fine, Brandon Wall


Raith Family: Melinda Raith, Lucinda Raith


Skavis Family: Frederick Skavis, the Ghuls


Malvora Family: Drusilla Malvora, Penny Dreadful, Thomas Malvora, Theodore, Wendal, Daisy, Duncan


Autumn Court: Philip, Helena, Harold


Spring Court: Puck, Heather


Major Characters:
Max Torelli- Mob lieutenant from Chicago and Shade's fiancé.
Wyatt- The living avatar of Las Vegas
Patience Mayweather- supernatural curator at the Historical Society
Skip Mathews- Brandon's employee, apprentice, and wizard in training
Christine- Uriel's receptionist and second in command
Robert Mason- Ace of Spades and a Black Court Vampire
Rita Martin- The Accountant


Minor Characters:
Tawney- Warden Locke's apprentice
Tess- Shade's best friend
Jeremy Running Mouse- also known as Running Mouth and hangs out at the Luxor
Charlie Running Mouse- Jeremy's crazy old uncle
Mitch Mitchell- reporter for TV show Truthisodes
Flash- changeling associated with the Autumn Court
Johnny Bullwickie- low level bookie and a contact of Neil's
Sal "Fat Fingers" Fredrico- low level mob loan shark
Laurel- Dryad associated with the Autumn Court
Steve- changeling associated with Autumn Court
Chumley- a Ghul associated with Skavis
Janx- King of the Pixies
Kirk- scarred Head of Security associated with Uriel White
Shiro Kurosawa- dive bar owner and Brandon's nominal boss
Marissa- changeling in charge of the Freemont Experience


Deceased Characters (a question mark denotes fate ultimately unknown):
Baron Drake/Serephina and all the Red Court Vampires
Sly (?)- Skavis' former second in command handed over to the Autumn Court
David- aka Mr. Boomunches
Fredrick- a member of the Malvora family
Ana- the former Lady Autumn
Frost/Rhyme- two Winter Court Fey
Un-named Winter Fey (?)


Places:
Luxor- a Hotel and the seat- figuratively and literally- of power in Vegas
Living Skin- Shade's tattoo parlor
Sleight of Hand- Brandon's magic shop
Scaramouche Academy- the clown college and Malvora base of operations
Legends- upscale piano bar and Fey base of operations
Liberace Museum- the only neutral ground in Vegas
The Crucible- Skavis base of operations, currently burned to the ground
Freemont Experience- name for Fey area of influence and Shade's neighborhood
Snicks- dive/gay bar in North Vegas and Shade's hangout
Gaspaccios- a restaurant used as a front for Sal's activities


I know that there are probably a few people and places I have missed but the list should be mostly complete.
I am very excited to be continuing this game. Doing this post gave me the opportunity to go back over the previous entries and see that I never really got a handle on playing this character as well as I should have. There was quite a bit of "Damn, Shade would have done THIS instead of THAT!" The game will be starting a year after where it left off and Lana is giving us the chance to tweak our characters to match how they would have changed and grown. I plan on doing just that and being a better player. 

Dresden Files Las Vegas- Everything Zen

It has been quite some time since I wrote anything and there is a reason for that. Right now the game is, for all intents and purposes, cancelled. It might be continuing after the summer craziness dies down but don't bet on it (had to get the Vegas slant in there :)...).

Not to worry though my legion of loyal fans (okay, I don't have legions of fans but let me have my delusions. They keep me happy) the game will have an ending. I refuse to have another game just die out without a proper finish. That being said, I will let my imagination run amok and supply one. So, no matter what, there will be at least one more post.

Dresden Files Las Vegas- In Games Without Frontiers

I have been waiting for awhile to use the song in the title and the time is finally here! The gaming session on Sunday marked the end of a few things and one hell of a big beginning. We are truly heading into new Vegas games with unknown frontiers. I don't want to spoil it too much, so I will just start the recap.

After his rather physical conversation with Davy (it ended with Neil sucker punching the Knight and laying him out flat), Neil headed over to the Luxor to visit with Skavis. He had a rather important piece of information he had to share. Once inside the hotel room, Neil tossed a piece of paper to Skavis and told him it was the location of the people who destroyed his nightclub. Skavis was pleased to get the information. Neil then told him that he would send him a bill for services rendered. Skavis was not pleased to hear that (poor Frederick, he really is the butt monkey of everyone in Vegas). Neil's next visit was to Uri's. Fortunately, he was able to get in the house. Unfortunately, Christine was there and pressed Neil for a date later in the week. Neil agreed and made his way to Uri's bedroom. Uri wasn't looking much better but he perked up a bit at Neil's news. Neil told him about his agreement with Davy and, as an added bonus, he showed Uri a photo of the unconscious Knight.

Finished talking with Angelica, Shade made her way to the Liberace Museum. There she left a note for Mason letting him know how the conversation went. Afterwards, knowing that Uri was in no condition to talk to him, Shade decided to visit Skavis herself. He seemed surprised to see her but invited her in. After the usual Skavis pleasantries, Shade let him know that she was there to talk to Arthur. When Arthur came into the room, Shade introduced herself and told him they needed to talk. She flat out asked him just what he had done to get the New Orleans group so pissed off at him. It took a bit of back and forth but he eventually spilled and told her about the attack on Sharee in Michelle's shop. He stressed that it had been an accident. He was looking to stay in Vegas and Skavis said that he really wanted that. Shade told them that they would have to see what the Board said. However it turned out, something would have to be decided- and soon.

That conversation done, Shade left and called Neil. When he answered, she asked if he would like to meet for lunch and a proposal. Neil said he would and they agreed to meet at Shade's tattoo parlor. They met up outside and, just as they started talking, Wyatt pulled up on his Harley. He seemed very rattled. Shade invited him in for a talk and a few shots of whiskey. Inside, Wyatt let Neil and Shade know that he had been having some disturbing dreams- even while he was wearing the hat that Brandon had fashioned for him. It seemed the Coyote was trying to get his attention. However, he couldn't make heads or tails what the images meant. He wanted Shade's help to figure it out. Shade asked if he had tried to talk to Coyote. Wyatt said that he didn't want to. To get some idea of the symbols, Shade told Wyatt to draw them out for her.

While he was doing that, Shade was able to talk with Neil. With summer over, it was about time for the new and upcoming poker players to get back into town. Shade asked if Neil would be interested in setting up a game with the two of them and a few others (with Neil's skill and contacts and all he taught Shade, they should have no problem winning the game). She explained that she needed quite a bit of money for her and Max's wedding and reception (and she very proudly showed off her ring). Of course the winnings would be split 50/50. Neil really liked that idea and said he was in (that made Shade very relieved).

Wyatt had finished his drawings. Luckily, Shade had a book of local Indian symbolic pictures. She got it and the three of them looked it over. One of the symbols drawn by Wyatt was of the Coyote god. Another was Ikto, the Spider god and the nemesis of Coyote. There was also a pyramid. After running a few theories between themselves, Shade once again told Wyatt to just talk to Coyote next time he invaded his dreams. Once again, Wyatt refused. Shade then told him that there was a way for her to talk to Coyote. She would have to spend the night with him and join him in his dreams. Wyatt wasn't sure about the idea but was willing to give it a shot. Business concluded, Neil left to start setting up the poker game. Wyatt went with him

Up until the evening, Brandon had been having a normal day. He went to work, tortured his minion (aka Skip) a little, and did the usual Brandon things. Once his work day was over, he went home, showered, changed, and headed out for a night of fun and games. He was looking to win some money and found what he wanted in a dive bar (actually, if it was disinfected it would qualify as a dive bar. It was really a shit-hole) just off the Strip. The bar was filled with dangerous and desperate looking people. Brandon paid his stake and settled down for some serious play. His innate ability to read people helped some but not enough. He couldn't read any of the players. However, they couldn't read him either. The game was tense and became even tenser. There was one player that Brandon could not take out. Having had enough, Brandon cast a spell and bored straight into the guy's mind (that was definitely a holy shit moment. Brandon had just broken the Third Law of Magic and if it was found out, he would lose his head. Really- no defense, no plea bargain, no mercy, no time out- his head would be a trophy for some Warden). The card shark started to shake and sweat. A few seconds later, his mind totally shattered and he ran from the table screaming. Brandon calmly pulled in his winnings. Just then, he felt a hand on his shoulder. Glancing back, Brandon saw that it was Wyatt (bet you thought it was going to be someone bad). They chatted as Brandon got ready to leave. Wyatt told him about his dreams and the visit with Neil and Shade. Brandon told him that he might be able to help as well. Just as he was getting up, Brandon felt another hand on his opposite shoulder. He looked up and saw an older oriental gentleman (you didn't think he would get away with it, did you). In a soft tone, the oriental suggested that a private conversation about that last hand was in order.

Heading into the back, Brandon assessed the man. He seemed to be magically inclined but Brandon couldn't tell just in what way. They got to the office and, after sitting down himself, the man told Brandon to get comfortable. Once seated, he introduced himself to Brandon as Shiro Kurosawa. He was the owner of the bar and had a proposition for Brandon. If Brandon agreed to work for him, he wouldn't tell the White Council about Brandon's breaking of the Third Law. Brandon tried to play it off but wasn't successful. Shiro was a sorcerer and knew what Brandon had done. Brandon asked just what sort of work he would be doing. Shiro told him that he would be a ringer for the bar. he would lose or win, as directed, at cards. It wouldn't be dangerous or too time consuming. Giving it a bit of thought, Brandon agreed. Shiro seemed pleased (I know that Jay and I have once or twice surprised Lana and the rest of the group but Jason is the only one to do it consistently. He will just be playing along all nice and good and then, from out of nowhere, he will do something so damn crazy we all go what the fuck. He somehow manages to pull it off though). Business concluded, they bid each other good night and Brandon went to collect Wyatt.

Unaware of Brandon's exciting evening, Neil was out and about doing Neil things. He made some headway on the game. All in all, his night went smoothly.

Shade's night wasn't as smooth. A call came from Uri. A Board meeting had been set for that night. After a quick call to Max letting him know that their dinner would have to be after the meeting, Shade went to the Luxor. Still looking pretty rough, Uri called the meeting to order. There were two issues to discuss. The first was the Skavis situation. A few ideas were thrown out and a trial by combat was agreed as the way to go. Uri said that he would speak to both factions and let each know that either they would agree to that or they all would have to leave. The second issue was a proposal that Vegas becomes a faction unto itself. Instead of being a part of outside groups, all would be working for Vegas. The debate raged with those who had large 'families' on the outside being unconvinced. Those who were only in Vegas (like the Fey) or not attached to any group on the outside were firmly on the yes side. Eventually, a consensus was reached. Vegas would be a freehold. A formal agreement would be drawn up at a later date and envoys would be sent out. The meeting over, Shade joined Max for dinner. They had a good time (and yes, she did tell him what was going on with the Board) and ended up back at her place.

After leaving his new job site, Brandon and Wyatt went to his shop. Once there, Brandon summoned the little coyote spirit. Brandon asked him why the Coyote was sending the dreams to Wyatt. The coyote answered that Wyatt was the Avatar and he needed the visions for his spirit quest. Something bad was coming and Wyatt needed to be ready. Brandon asked the coyote just what was coming but didn't get anything more (Brandon did call Shade about the symbols but she and Max were...busy. Yep, they finally consummated their relationship and there was no way in hell Shade was going to let that get interrupted).

The next day started off pretty quietly for the three. Neil sent Skavis his bill. It was for 30,000$. Skavis paid up but included an insult in the memo portion of the check. Shade spent her day researching the symbols that Wyatt had drawn. Not getting anymore from the book, she decided to talk to someone who might be able to help. Brandon and Wyatt had a trip to take. They wanted to map just how far Wyatt could go (being the Avatar, Wyatt was tied to Vegas. He could only go so far before he would be stopped). Brandon called Neil and borrowed a couple of dirt bikes. It took some time but they were able to get a good idea of Wyatt's range. Shade placed a call to Neil and asked if he would join her on an errand (when it comes to anything having to do with Wyatt, Shade wants either Neil or Brandon there. Right now she is the most visible of the three and she wants that buffer, so to speak, between her and Wyatt. No one would think it odd that she would be with Brandon and Neil).

While Brandon and Wyatt were mapping, Shade and Neil went to see Jeremy Running Mouth. He was at his usual place in the Luxor. After exchanging hello's and getting Jeremy to shut up for a few seconds, Shade asked him about his uncle. She wanted to know where to find him. Jeremy tried to talk her and Neil out of a visit. He flat out said his uncle was crazy. Finally realizing that they were serious, Jeremy told them where to go into the desert. After saying goodbye, Neil called Brandon and told him and Wyatt to meet them at Brandon's place. Before getting there, Neil and Shade stopped to pick up some bribes (a carton of cigarettes and a bottle of whiskey). Everyone met up at Brandon's place. Brandon wasn't too happy about having to visit crazy uncle Charlie again but agreed to go. the four of them set out. It wasn't too long before Wyatt couldn't go on. Seeing a fire in the near distance, Neil, Shade, and Brandon continued on. A few minute's walk led them to a fire and Charlie Proudwolf. He invited the three to sit down. They did and offered their gifts to him. He wasn't able to tell them much more then they already knew but they did get a few snippets of new information. Ikto and Coyote were both tricksters but, while Coyote usually had a lesson to teach, Ikto was more malicious. There was a rivalry between the two and Vegas was caught up in that. Whether it was fight between the two or something else he couldn't say but it had to do with Vegas and the warped ley lines. Not getting anything more, Brandon (with evident relief!), Neil, and Shade headed back to Wyatt and Vegas and then to their homes.

The next few weeks were busy for all three. Brandon did his usual routine of work and training Skip. He also had to meet with Kurosawa about his new job.

Neil spent his time getting the poker game set up. He was able to cherry pick the players and get what else he needed. As for his free time, he managed to win a shit load of money (actually, Jay took the windfall stunt). With his winnings, he was able to buy a rental car company and a few nondescript buildings. He then spent some time talking to some of the Baron's old crew. He had the idea to set up a secret society of sorts that would be on hand when trouble hit.

Shade had the gruesome task of being a witness to the duel between Michelle and Arthur Skavis. It took place in Were territory. The fight was long and brutal. Skavis was winning ( he did have the vampire advantage after all). However, at the crucial moment, he hesitated for some reason. Michelle cut him down. That being finished, the New Orleans group left Vegas. Along with working on the wedding and reception, Shade was able to complete the garden for the Pixies. They loved it and gave her a charm to summon them. A couple of weeks after, Philip showed up pissed as hell. He was not pleased that the Pixies had basically seceded from the Fey and set up their own realm and that Shade had helped them.   

See what I mean! Vegas has just gone rogue and declared itself a freehold. It will be it's own faction and the Board members will no longer be representatives of their individual groups, both inside and outside of Vegas, but will represent Vegas as a separate entity. Just what that means is anybody's guess but big changes are coming. I can imagine that this news isn't going to be liked by too many people outside of Vegas. That doesn't even begin to cover what is going to happen within the city. For a group of people dead set on keeping the status quo, they sure have just implemented a massive change. Of course, it could just be the Board's way to try and keep change from happening but, with old alliances gone and new alliances needing to be formed, change will happen. Then there is the Wyatt thing. It seems that the Avatar might be needed soon and just how do we keep him a secret from everyone in Vegas? Will we be able to protect him from the powers that be?

Changes and new beginnings are not only happening at the top but for our lowly characters as well. Brandon has his new alliance thanks to his law breaking. Just how that plays out is anybody's guess. Is Jason going to take Brandon down the evil sorcerer route? Only time will tell with that but I can see Jason having Brandon take up the fight of abolishing the seven laws in favor of a more lenient attitude. Then there is Neil. I don't know much (because Lana wouldn't tell me!) but I do know that Jay has plans for tweaking Neil and they just might include a supernatural change. I don't want to spoil anything but I have to say that I really hope Jay goes with the Red Court idea. Also, Jay came up with the idea for all of us to take a new aspect- The New Guard. I absolutely love that idea. It is a way for us to work together, since we all seem to be heading towards the same goal/idea of stability not stagnation for Vegas. As for Shade, she has a decision to make concerning the Fey. Will she stay or quit? Then there is the wedding and reception. So far there has not been a gathering where something bad hasn't happened (she just wants to get it over with without a major problem happening, especially the wedding. Just get the I do's over with and any problems that happen at the reception will be handled). Just what will that bring, who knows.

Of course there are other possible situations. Just how will each faction react to the change? Will any of the groups try to make a play during the changeover? Will Locke show back up and just how will he react? What trouble will come from groups we haven't spent much time with? There are also bit players that could come into play. What would happen if the resident shock reporter Mitch Mitchell gets a whiff of all that's going on?

Dresden Files Las Vegas- Don't Come Around Here No More

It was a short night but very exciting. We managed to fit in quite a bit of action. There was chaos with pixies, a fight, and a quick trip to a hell realm. All that and we are only on the second day of the adventure. At this rate, by the end of the week, we are going to have Vegas in flames.

Before I begin, I have a change to make. Just like with Calvin! in the Mage game, I have decided to give a special option to Brandon and Neil for when they are together. I swear they are just like those old "buddy" movies- Martin and Lewis, Abbott and Costello, et al. The things they do and say have definitely earned them a special moniker. With that being said, when they are together, they will be referred to by their last names. That way they can go down in history as one of the great straight man/comedian duos.

The game started with Fine and Wall in Uri's bathroom. Not sure what to do, they started with the basics. First, they cleaned out the wounds and Wall then tried to bandage up Uri. His result was less then spectacular (frankly, with his roll, Uri looked like a deformed mummy). Fine, knowing that they needed help, placed a call to Patience at the Historical Museum. He left a message for her and waited. Not long after, she returned his call. After hearing what happened, she suggested that Fine and Wall get him to the Nevernever. Fine told Wall what she said as he left the bathroom.

Getting to a locked door that he assumed was Uri's home office, Fine attempted to break the door down with a coat rack. When that didn't work, he shot the lock out (even the straight man of the duo can have comedic moments). On the desk he found what he was looking for- a rolodex. He sat down and started calling the most promising numbers. Most of the calls resulted in insults. However, Fine eventually found some help. In answer to his carefully phrased inquiry (he basically said that Uri had been attacked and required assistance of his ilk), the man told Fine to look for a potion or elixir. He was sure that Uri would have something around for just such an emergency. Hanging up, Fine started tearing the room apart.

Back in the bathroom, Wall decided to take matters into his own hands. Casting a spell, he opened a rift into the Nevernever. Having been there before, it was fairly easy for him to pinpoint Uri's realm. It was just as Wall remembered- hot, scorched black earth, and on fire. He pulled Uri through the rift and closed it. It was a good thing he had his sword. With Uri unconscious, Wall was not being protected from the heat. The Sword of Air Conditioning helped (that's how Jason described it). He looked to see if being there was helping at all. The spread of the infection seemed to have stopped. While looking Uri over, Wall noticed some gray jelly-like gunk in his eye. Wall reached down to wipe it away and learned, to his surprise, it was actually Uri's eye. He wisely refrained from doing anything else (like poking at it).

With Uri settled, Wall called out for help to anyone or anything that might be listening. Not long after, he noticed that shadows seemed to be converging where the two of them were. He knew that something was there and listening to him. Sure enough, a voice spoke to him, telling him to give Uri to the shadows. Wall refused (he tried to use intimidate but wasn't really successful). The shadows became insistent and attacked Wall. Their touch was cold- spiritually cold. A brief fight ensued. Deciding that retreat was a viable option, Wall opened a rift back to Uri's bathroom.

Back in the apartment, Fine was busy redecorating Uri's office. He had managed to find a wall safe but didn't have the combination. A quick call to Christine hadn't helped (she was on her way over though). In an attempt to get what he needed, Fine dumped the desk drawers and pulled the books off the shelves. Deciding to wait for Christine, Fine headed back to the bathroom. He got there just in time to see Wall charging through the rift- sword in one hand and dragging Uri with the other (between the horrible bandaging job, the dumping into the Nevernever, and the dragging back to the bathroom, I am surprised Uri is still alive).

Meanwhile, Shade and Max had just exited the Fey realm. They talked for awhile about what had happened. Shade let him know that she wasn't thrilled by the sacrifice but it was needed for what the Fey were. She told Max to not think of the Fey as human; they weren't. It was best to think of them as physical manifestations of their seasons (frankly, Shade's description of them as adults with the emotional capacity of three year old children is about the best). They were about to head out for dinner when Max's phone rang. He stepped away to answer it. Shade didn't pay too much attention until Max's tone changed. Apparently something bad had gone down and his men needed him wherever they were. They really couldn't tell him just exactly what it was. With a quick kiss for Shade and a promise of dinner tomorrow night, Max departed.

Deciding that it was a good time to put her plan for the pixies into play, Shade went on a hunt for treats. She got pizza, chicken wings, Krispy Kreme donuts, and other foodstuffs. With everything in her work shop, Shade performed the ritual to call Janx. He eventually showed up. Once he spotted the food, it was on. He called a bunch of other pixies and her basement turned into a free for all (yes, putting no limitations on them was part of the plan. She knew it would get crazy but she wanted to see just what they could do as a group and with free reign. She was fairly impressed with the results). Once the pixies discovered Periwinkle upstairs, most headed up there to play with the kitten (just think about that- numerous hyperactive pixies and a six month old kitten. It's the definition of chaos). Satisfied, Shade called Janx and asked him to reign everyone in. He refused. She then cast a ritual trapping him in a bubble. It took the threat of permanent confinement but Janx finally told the others to leave. With things now quiet, they settled down for a talk. Shade put forth her proposal. She wanted them to work for her. She would pay them with food. Janx said that he would agree to the deal if she built them a fairy park, just for the pixies. If she did that, he would be king of the pixies. She agreed.

Christine finally arrived and joined Fine and Wall in the office. When asked if she knew of anything to help Uri, she answered  the blood of an innocent and wanted to know if they knew of any children. Passing on that option, Wall cast a spell to pry open the safe. Fine wisely headed for cover. With the safe door open, the three of them gathered around to inspect the contents. Among the items were a few potions. Taste testing each, Wall found one that simply felt unholy. They poured it down Uri's throat and waited. After a minute or two, Uri woke up. After being helped to bed, he told them what had happened. A Knight of the Cross was in town and had attacked him. He had barely escaped with his life. After some more small talk, Wall and Fine left. Fine went home. Wall stopped by Mason's place and left a note about what happened.

Back at his house, Brandon (going back to first names since Brandon and Neil aren't together anymore) was getting ready for bed when there was a knock on his door. It was Mason. Brandon invited him in. Once settled, Mason asked Brandon for a full report of the night's activities. He was not happy to hear about Davy. He told Brandon to keep an eye on the strangers. He also said that he had a person in mind to talk with Angelica about the Knight. Business concluded, mason left and Brandon went to bed.

It took some time but Shade finally got her place cleaned up (Periwinkle looked exhausted but very, very happy. He liked his new playmates). That done, she went to bed. In the early morning hours, she was woken up by a knock on her window. Not really awake, she opened the curtain and saw Mason hanging in mid-air outside. Being polite, she invited him in. Coming inside, Mason told about the Knight being town and asked her if she would go talk to Angelica. Shade agreed. Mason left and Shade, deciding to just stay up, made some coffee.

Neil's morning started with a visit to Wyatt. He asked him to locate this Knight of the Cross person. Wyatt told him that Davy was holed up in a church. Neil headed over. Just as he pulled up (in his Mercedes- not his Chevelle like I was hoping), he spotted Shade walking up from the other direction. They met and chatted as they walked into St. Michael's. Inside they saw Angelica talking with a priest. Shade walked up to Angelica and asked if they could speak privately. She said okay and invited Shade out to the garden. Neil talked to the priest and asked about his 'friend' who was staying there. Father John said that he would be happy take Neil to his friend Davy.

In the garden, Shade and Angelica settle down to talk but keep getting distracted by a man doing yard work- shirtless...with amazing abs...and blond hair...and amazing abs...and bulging muscles...and amazing abs (Davy has the stunt Animal Magnetism. Angelica had to keep reminding herself that he was a man of God and Shade had to keep reminding herself that she was engaged). Eventually, they were able to talk. Shade asked about Davy and told Angelica that it would be best if he left Vegas. A Knight of the Cross wouldn't be great for the city. Angelica answered that he was doing God's work and she didn't see a problem with it. Seeing that Angelica would not understand the problems with Davy, Shade chatted with her for a few more minutes and then left. Neil and Davy were having a discussion of their own. Although, their conversation wasn't nearly so polite. Neil told Davy to leave. Davy refused. The insults started flying and it ended in a fight. After all was said and done, a compromise was reached. Davy agreed to stay at the Church and only harm the person (Arthur Skavis) the group was there to get. He also told Neil to contact Jack or Michelle if he wanted more information.

Outside, Shade called Christine and asked her for a meeting with Uri. Christine wasn't sure at first until Shade told her it was about the Knight. Christine told her to come over and that she would clear it with security (yep, Uri is not taking any chances). Getting to Uri's house, Shade chatted with Kirk while he patted her down. Inside, Christine led her to Uri's bedroom (I thought that amusing. I always figured Shade would get into his bedroom for another reason. However, Max happened and I guess Uri will just have to wait a few more years). Uri still looked like hell. Shade was very concerned and offered to help him by using her tattooing skills. Uri agreed to think about it. They talked over the situation and possible solutions but nothing concrete was decided.

That ended the evening. See what I meant by being action packed. Some many things going down and so many ways this could play out. All I know is that I can't wait for Sunday to see what happens next. And it's not only the whole New Orleans situation. It's a whole bunch of other things. Just what changes are coming to Vegas and how will the three of them get on? Check back next week for some of the answers! Hopefully there will be some more of the Fine and Wall shenanigans as well.