Call of Cthulhu Online Game
Sponsored by Pagan Publishing
Transcript of tenth session — June 27th, 1993
Players:
Don Rice– Gary Nedler, new age bookstore owner and long-time govt. consultant
Agent Newcastle– Harold Newcastle, F.B.I. agent
Transcript:
6/27/93
20.17.10
Opening “DG Game 10” for recording.
Pagan Pub: Shaft, what’s the name of your agent?
Agent Newcastle: Harold Newcastle
Pagan Pub: Agent Newcastle, meet Gary Nedler.
Agent Newcastle: How do ya do Nedler?
Pagan Pub: Describe yourself, Newcastle.
Agent Newcastle: FBI Driver and stakeout man. 6’2″ A real straight arrow. Modelled after Joe Friday on ‘Dragnet’ [Agent Newcastle is retroactively assumed to be the FBI driver during the highway chase last session]
Gary Nedler: Gary: mid-40s with thinning grayish shoulder-length hair, wears sandals, jeans, and flowery shirts. “Hello man. I’ve been meaning to say nice driving the other day. We could have had our karmic checks cancelled.”
Agent Newcastle: I know all about Gary. I’ve been keeping up on the transcripts.
Pagan Pub: [the new odd couple!
Gary Nedler: “Don’t shake my hand, though. Might disturb my aura.” :: winks ::
Agent Newcastle: Is Kyle supposed to be here?
Pagan Pub: Supposed to be, yes.
Pagan Pub: Is, no.
Gary Nedler: “Maybe Kyle’s getting his hair colored for the stakeout, man.”
Pagan Pub: Kyle will join Starbird in the van outside. He’ll try and help with his own peculiar talents.
Gary Nedler: “It’s just you and me, man.”
Pagan Pub: “Last week our heroes learned of a strange emergency meeting of the local Enolsis chapter.”
Pagan Pub: [thrilling music]
Pagan Pub: “Tonight, their fists will speak louder than words in CHAPTER TEN of THE NEW AGE!” [fanfare]
Agent Newcastle: I ask Gary if he has a spare crystal I can borrow.
Pagan Pub: Gary?
Gary Nedler: “Sure, man, what kind of mounting do you want? We carry a complete line.”
Agent Newcastle: Like the kind Enolisis would have so I’ll blend in at the meeting.
Gary Nedler: Pagan?
Pagan Pub: Sure. No problem.
Pagan Pub: Do you want it to be a regular-sized Enolsis standard-issue or the half-size one like you found at the major’s house?
Agent Newcastle: Regular Sized.
Gary Nedler: I’ll have a regular Enolsized one around my neck.
Pagan Pub: No problem.
Gary Nedler: “Here you go, man. I favor that one myself tonight.”
Agent Newcastle: So do we have a plan? Or are going to just crash the meeting?
Gary Nedler: Let’s see. Do we have to be targets, I mean carry the other crystal?
Pagan Pub: If you wish.
Agent Newcastle: Can we give it to Kyle? I don’t want it!
Pagan Pub: Heh!
Pagan Pub: Sure! Kyle is happy to take it! [imagining Fenemore reading this later]
Gary Nedler: I’m not sure it’s smart to carry an important item like that into an enemy den, but I don’t want you hitting other people’s characters because I was here and gave it to them when they weren’t.
Pagan Pub: Oh I won’t hit them.
Agent Newcastle: Perhaps an NPC like Gaston can hold it.
Pagan Pub: Oh, the sacrifical lamb routine. “Can you take this so we can see how the monster works?”
Gary Nedler: That’s what I mean; it’s not fair.
Agent Newcastle: You can carry it if you want to Gary.
Agent Newcastle: But if the ‘bad guy’ is at the meeting he might recognize it.
Pagan Pub: Well, we can assume it’s “at the lab.” It’s been there before to no ill effect.
Agent Newcastle: At the lab sounds good.
Pagan Pub: The guy at the lab who would probably get killed if something happens there is named Arthur Pewty. He has a wife and three kids. Just so you know.
Agent Newcastle: O.k. I’ll take it you weasel!
Gary Nedler: “Man, tell Arthur to be careful testing this against the Rex samples.”
Pagan Pub: No, no, at the lab is fine. Just being evil.
Gary Nedler: Any results back on the Rex samples? Too soon?
Pagan Pub: Too soon. The survivors will find out the next day. I mean, you will find out the next day.
Pagan Pub: Newcastle, are you going in armed?
Agent Newcastle: Yes, of course. A small 9mm auto, if there is such a thing.
Pagan Pub: Not a problem.
Agent Newcastle: How much time do we have before this meeting?
Pagan Pub: Several hours — 3 or 4.
Agent Newcastle: Do we have anything to do before the meeting, Gary?
Pagan Pub: Any other arrangements? Fenemore was going to wear a wire in but can’t do it now. Either of you?
Agent Newcastle: I’ll wear the wire.
Gary Nedler: “Man, guns carry a heavy karmic burden. Carry a taser, why don’t you.”
Gary Nedler: :: winks ::
Agent Newcastle: I don’t think it would be wise to only have one type of weapon.
Agent Newcastle: Who knows what actually took down Rex?
Gary Nedler: “True, man. Okay, you carry the 9mm, I’ll bring the taser and red pepper mace.”
Agent Newcastle: I’ll try to wear some suitable clothing. I’m sure Gary will be happy to expand my wardrobe
Pagan Pub: Sounds decent. Newcastle, you get fitted for the wire.
Agent Newcastle: Check.
Pagan Pub: Gary drapes you in sherpa robes or something.
Agent Newcastle: I practice my Ohms for meditation before the meeting.
Gary Nedler: “Try this smock of indonesian silk, man. They’re hemp flowers in the pattern. ”
Agent Newcastle: I don’t like it, but i’ll wear it.
Pagan Pub: Gary gives you some good mantras.
Gary Nedler: “I like these conch shell necklaces, too.” :: wears one ::
Agent Newcastle: What is our cover?
Pagan Pub: You guys are going there as members. The hacker boys have gotten you info on two members who were called but weren’t home. Checks show they’re out of town. You’ve got fake ID’s of those guys to use.
Pagan Pub: But keep it quiet; someone there *might* know them by face.
Gary Nedler: “If anyone asks you any questions, man, just change the subject.”
Agent Newcastle: Right!
Gary Nedler: “Transcendental meditation, crystals, Atlantis, they’re all good for that.”
Gary Nedler: Two questions: Do we have a better map of the place? I draw it for Newcastle.
Pagan Pub: You have blueprints now.
Pagan Pub: Large open area. Three office-sized areas. Two storage closets. Upstairs was an apartment with bedroom, and living/kitchen area, bathroom, closet. Not sure if it’s still used for that or not.
Gary Nedler: Hmmm. We think Valiant’s been staying there, right?
Gary Nedler: Or answering their phone lines, anyway.
Pagan Pub: Well, the call DiTorrio made was transferred to Valiant in the same building. Might have been his office, might have been the apartment area/whatever it is now.
Gary Nedler: Okay, but it might be a place to start. If I was hiding out, I’d want a bed, shower, etc.
Agent Newcastle: If the meeting gets dull I can sneak upstairs and check it out.
Gary Nedler: All right, let’s go.
Pagan Pub: The story for the meeting is that the city is threatening to shut the group down. It isn’t, of course, but that’s what they’ve told the members about tonight’s meeting. Members were told to come and discuss the problem, and to bring their “focus” to meditate on the situation.
Agent Newcastle: Likely story.
Agent Newcastle: Let’s go in and check it out.
Gary Nedler: Just a thought: any of these members have police records?
Pagan Pub: Um, a couple do. Possession. A couple other minor bits.
Pagan Pub: No real felons. No one known to be dangerous.
Gary Nedler: That’s not unusual, though, it sounds like. Okay, good to know.
Agent Newcastle: I think we should arrive a little late so as not to stick out so much.
Pagan Pub: No problem.
Pagan Pub: It’s a pretty loose kind of place.
Agent Newcastle: I think this meeting is a front to summon a horrible beasty.
Agent Newcastle: If the chanting gets too intense, I’m going to open fire.
Pagan Pub: The meeting is around 7pm.
Pagan Pub: Newcastle suggests you two arrive a tad late. Separately, since the two guys you’re posing as don’t actually know each other.
Agent Newcastle: We should sit outside awhile and enter about 7;05
Gary Nedler: “Sounds good, man. Must keep our cover at all times.”
Gary Nedler: Uh, oops, do we know *anything* about the guys we’re posing as?
Pagan Pub: You’ve been briefed very loosely. Don’t try too much, just blend in. Should be 40-60 people there, so no big deal, hopefully.
Pagan Pub: Use *just* your first name as much as possible. Gary, you’re “Fenton Darrow,” a CPA.
Pagan Pub: Newcastle, you’re “Archibald Reynolds,” an architect.
Agent Newcastle: Archibald, Alright!
Pagan Pub: Glad you like it.
Pagan Pub: The storefront is in a pseudo-artsy part of town near the Wash. U. campus.
Pagan Pub: It’s a warm but pleasant evening. A number of people are out strolling and talking at the local cafe.
Agent Newcastle: I’ll let Gary enter first. Just in case.
Pagan Pub: Gary, you drift in first. Newcastle, you hang around outside at the cafe. Lots of people show up and go in the Enolsis storefront.
Gary Nedler: “Okay, man. Just follow my lead.” :: goes in ::
Agent Newcastle: ::wait three minutes, then goes in::
Pagan Pub: Okay.
Pagan Pub: Inside, the large open area is crowded. People are taking positions sitting on the floor.
Pagan Pub: The mood is anxious but friendly. Lots of smiles and nervous chatter.
Pagan Pub: The walls are decorated with posters and paintings. The blinds over the front windows are closed.
Pagan Pub: Gary, you spot the woman you met here the other day. She’s at the back of the room, conferring with someone.
Gary Nedler: Better avoid catching her attention, if possible, but who is she talking to?
Pagan Pub: Some guy. Slim, short, with glasses. Kind of nebbishy.
Pagan Pub: Do you want to take a spot on the floor or mingle?
Agent Newcastle: I’ll take a spot on the floor.
Gary Nedler: Are the people on the floor in small groups or alone?
Pagan Pub: Well, everyone’s kind of pressed together. Not much room for this many people.
Agent Newcastle: We’ll find out whats going on soon enough.
Pagan Pub: Are you guys nearby each other?
Agent Newcastle: Sure, we’re just random people.
Gary Nedler: Okay, just take a floor position away from Shaft, where I can watch the crowd.
Pagan Pub: People continue to file in. Place is packed. They up the air conditioning.
Pagan Pub: Gary, the woman has taken a seat on the floor with the others.
Gary Nedler: Near me? If so, I check the tofu buffet or something.
Pagan Pub: No, not near you. No buffet, sorry!
Pagan Pub: Soft music begins to play, Windham Hill-type stuff.
Pagan Pub: After about ten minutes, a guy comes out of an office. You know it’s the office that connects
Pagan Pub: to the upstairs. He’s wearing a kind of robe like a kimono or something made of white terrycloth.
Pagan Pub: He’s a stocky guy, like a quarterback. Crew cut, square jaw, fat forehead.
Pagan Pub: Maybe late 20s. You make him as Valiant, but he looks different. Hair dyed black, plastic
Pagan Pub: surgery to his nose and cheeks it seems.
Gary Nedler: In disguise!
Pagan Pub: He looks tough. Must work out a lot.
Agent Newcastle: I don’t think we should wait until it’s too late to nab him.
Pagan Pub: If you saw him on “Studs” you wouldn’t blink an eye.
Agent Newcastle: He is wanted you know.
Agent Newcastle: I don’t mean just yet though.
Gary Nedler: Your call; I’m not with you.
Gary Nedler: I’d like to wait though.
Pagan Pub: Point: you guys are not near each other and cannot communicate. You can describe your general reactions to what’s going on (you can see each other’s faces, after all, for gestures and expressions). But other than that, no Q&A between each other.
Gary Nedler: Okay, sorry.
Agent Newcastle: O.K. That’s why I wanted to sit next to him.
Gary Nedler: That’s why I didn’t 😉
Pagan Pub: No prob, just keep it in mind.
Pagan Pub: Valiant scans the crowd.
Pagan Pub: He pulls a letter from his robe.
Pagan Pub: “This morning a city courier delivered this letter to us here.”
Pagan Pub: “It’s a challenge to our not-for-profit status, a conflict with the zoning ordinances for this neighborhood.”
Pagan Pub: “I quote: ‘Perhaps this will encourage you and your sick group to find another city to call home.’ ”
Agent Newcastle: “Those Bastards!”
Pagan Pub: He cracks a smile. “Don’t hold hate in your heart for them, brother. We can change their minds.”
Pagan Pub: He pauses.
Gary Nedler: :: mutters along with crowd :: “Uncool.”
Agent Newcastle: “But how?”
Pagan Pub: “The biblical prophets had the faith to move mountains, and they were single individuals.”
Pagan Pub: “We are a family. We are legion. We have the faith to move the stars!”
Pagan Pub: “Because we have the inner power to change ourselves, and that’s the only power that matters.”
Pagan Pub: “Sisters and brothers, help me. Help us.”
Pagan Pub: “Move your center of being from yourself to your focus.”
Pagan Pub: “Channel your hopes and your strength into a mighty power. A living power!”
Pagan Pub: The crowd takes out their focus crystals and begin to meditate.
Agent Newcastle: ::under breath::’this sounds bad”
Agent Newcastle: Ooohmm.
Gary Nedler: :: watches crowd, pretends to follow suit, but does NOT actually meditate ::
Pagan Pub: Both of you make Spot Hidden rolls.
OnlineHost: Gary Nedler rolled 1 100-sided die: 20
OnlineHost: Agent Newcastle rolled 1 100-sided die: 100
Agent Newcastle: I see nothing!
Gary Nedler: I made mine, I guess Newcastle is busy meditating.
Pagan Pub: Gary, you notice a mix of both normal and half-size crystals. More normal than smaller though.
Gary Nedler: I pay special attention to the half-sizers, and do any psychic impression feelie-thingies I know how to do, without meditating in fact.
Pagan Pub: The people here are all staring into their foci. There is silence. Valiant stalks back and forth at the front of the room.
Pagan Pub: There’s a lot of power in this room, coming off of the people.
Gary Nedler: Can I tell if specifically the half-size bearers are emanating more power than the others?
Pagan Pub: No idea.
Agent Newcastle: I, of course, know none of this.
Pagan Pub: Valiant pulls a large crystal from his robe, as big as his fist. It is very intricately carved with numerous facets.
Pagan Pub: He closes his eyes and holds it before him, above his head.
Gary Nedler: Can I make a New Age Knowledge roll to recognize it?
Pagan Pub: It’s just a big crystal. You haven’t seen one cut like this before, but don’t know what it may mean.
Agent Newcastle: Not that I’m going to do it yet, but could I shoot the crystal out of his hands?
Pagan Pub: Um, if you roll well. More than likely you’ll just hit him, which might suffice.
Pagan Pub: Something begins to happen.
Pagan Pub: There’s a low hum in the room, a kind of resonating tone at the edges of your hearing.
Agent Newcastle: I finger my pistol.
Pagan Pub: The lights flicker.
Pagan Pub: The music stops.
Pagan Pub: The tone increases in both pitch and volume.
Agent Newcastle: I look at Gary, as if to say should I?
Pagan Pub: Gary, make a roll.
OnlineHost: Gary Nedler rolled 1 100-sided die: 16
Pagan Pub: Okay.
Gary Nedler: I shake my head, mouth “wait” to Newcastle.
Pagan Pub: Someone in the crowd is breathing funny.
Pagan Pub: Kind of shuddering a bit, half-gasping.
Gary Nedler: Where in crowd? Can we see or is it too dark?
Pagan Pub: Somewhere towards the front of the room.
Pagan Pub: The lights explode, showering sparks and fragments of glass on the crowd.
Pagan Pub: But you can still see.
Pagan Pub: Valiant’s crystal flares brightly. The shuddering woman staggers to her feet, glowing brightly, the light that surrounds her flowing into her crystal which glows brighter.
Agent Newcastle: ThatÕs it! I Shoot!
Pagan Pub: She cries out.
Pagan Pub: Newcastle rises, drawing his pistol.
Agent Newcastle: Going toward Valiant!
Pagan Pub: Gary, you see the woman age and shrivel to nothing in a moment as the life drains out of her and flows first into her crystal, then Valiant’s.
Pagan Pub: Newcastle, give me a roll.
OnlineHost: Agent Newcastle rolled 1 100-sided die: 66
Pagan Pub: Newcastle’s gun goes off with a flash and a bang. The shot strikes the wall near Valiant. He doesn’t notice; his eyes are rolled back into his head and the power from the dead woman is flowing into him.
Pagan Pub: Three more people rise.
Gary Nedler: Are they gasping?
Pagan Pub: The whole crowd is making noise.
Pagan Pub: Newcastle is stepping through the crowd.
Gary Nedler: Go to back him up, I guess.
Pagan Pub: The three people start to glow.
Agent Newcastle: Shoot again!
Pagan Pub: Roll!
OnlineHost: Agent Newcastle rolled 1 100-sided die: 30
Pagan Pub: Newcastle’s gun barks again and the shot strikes Valiant in the gut. He staggers back against the wall but doesn’t seem to notice.
Pagan Pub: Energy leaches out of the three people into their crystals.
Agent Newcastle: I run up to Valiant and attemt to cuff him if he’s moving.
Pagan Pub: Four more rise.
Pagan Pub: Valiant is oblivious.
Agent Newcastle: I cuff him.
Gary Nedler: Okay, taser in one hand, mace in other, back up Newcastle.
Pagan Pub: Make a roll
OnlineHost: Agent Newcastle rolled 1 100-sided die: 60
Pagan Pub: You grab his arm and it’s like you hit an electric fence. Newcastle is knocked back and down, landing on some crowd members.
Agent Newcastle: Yelling to crowd “Get out! Wake up you dumb fucks!”
Pagan Pub: Newcastle, the crowd doesn’t seem to hear you.
Gary Nedler: Get him to his feet. Anyone threatening us yet?
Pagan Pub: The three people who had stood up collapse into bones and dust. The next four are being drained.
Pagan Pub: Six more rise.
Agent Newcastle: ::Stand::
Gary Nedler: Speak into Newcastle’s wire microphone, “Man, we need backup now!”
Gary Nedler: Taser Valiant
OnlineHost: Gary Nedler rolled 1 100-sided die: 22
Gary Nedler: That hits.
Pagan Pub: Valiant is glowing like a fireball, sparks shooting off and scorching the wall.
Pagan Pub: Make a roll.
OnlineHost: Gary Nedler rolled 1 100-sided die: 95
Gary Nedler: Blew my resist electricity roll, eh?
Pagan Pub: The feedback from Valiant’s body is incredible. The taser explodes in your hand, shards of metal and plastic cutting your hand badly. You take 4 hit points from the explosion.
Pagan Pub: The doors to the outside fly open. Massive halogen lights are trained through the front windows/blinds.
Pagan Pub: A voice is yelling something through a bullhorn.
Pagan Pub: People are standing up all over the room. Another six are dead.
Pagan Pub: Eleven so far have been absorbed into Valiant’s crystal and, thereby, into valiant.
Gary Nedler: 6 hp left; if conscious, try mace on Valiant.
Pagan Pub: Gary runs forward with the mace towards the glowing figure.
Agent Newcastle: Pop off another shot. At the crystal this time.
Pagan Pub: Roll, Newcastle.
OnlineHost: Agent Newcastle rolled 1 100-sided die: 38
Pagan Pub: Newcastle, you fire from short range.
Pagan Pub: Newcastle’s shot hits the crystal.
Pagan Pub: The building explodes.
Agent Newcastle: Noooooo!!!!!
Gary Nedler: Whoa!
Pagan Pub: Then reforms.
Pagan Pub: For a moment you feel yourself town apart by the blast in a fury of pain.
Pagan Pub: Then you’re whole again. There is silence. You’re standing where you were. Valiant is still there in front of you, looking at his hands where the crystal was.
Agent Newcastle: Cuff Him!
Pagan Pub: There are shards all over the floor. Several dozen are embedded in Valiant, or rather are embedded in the glowing field of energy that covers his body like an aura.
Agent Newcastle: Don’t cuff him!
Pagan Pub: LOL!
Gary Nedler: If I’m there (heh), I look around.
Pagan Pub: You’re there. Six agents are in the room with you.
Pagan Pub: His eyes flick to yours, Newcastle. He seems to strain for a moment, and the field ripples. The shards fly outwards. Luck rolls, please.
OnlineHost: Gary Nedler rolled 1 100-sided die: 35
OnlineHost: Agent Newcastle rolled 1 100-sided die: 22
Gary Nedler: Made mine.
Agent Newcastle: ditto!
Pagan Pub: The shards miss you. One agent is tagged. The rest strike the crowd, most of whom are dazed.
Gary Nedler: That’s right, you’re our lucky driver.
Pagan Pub: Valiant speaks in a voice crackling like static. “I’ve got all I need.”
Agent Newcastle: ::pin Valiant to ground with Podium::
Pagan Pub: Newcastle hefts up he podium and pushes at Valiant.
Gary Nedler: Do I think the microphone cable could be used to ground Valiant? (Elec Repair of 10)
Gary Nedler: “Microphone cable, man?”
Pagan Pub: You’d have to take the rubber/plastic sleeve off first. Or at least a good part of it at each end.
Gary Nedler: Too much time. Can I use it like nunchuks?
Pagan Pub: Newcastle make a roll.
OnlineHost: Agent Newcastle rolled 1 100-sided die: 41
Agent Newcastle: Makes a grapple roll.
Pagan Pub: Newcastle, you press the podium at Valiant. You feel it give way. Like a hot knife through butter, his field eats through the podium where you press it against him.
Agent Newcastle: Oh,no! Step back.
Pagan Pub: That was what the roll was for!
Pagan Pub: You do so. The podium drops to the floor, a rough half-moon burned into it.
Gary Nedler: What the heck. Nunchuk him with microphone.
Pagan Pub: Gary: uh, sure.
OnlineHost: Gary Nedler rolled 1 100-sided die: 74
Gary Nedler: Blew it.
Pagan Pub: You’re distracted by the podium drama.
Agent Newcastle: Does Valiant seem to be fighting back at all?
Pagan Pub: Valiant is just grinning right now.
Pagan Pub: “FUCKIN’ A!” he shouts.
Pagan Pub: You both hear “Get down!” from behind you.
Gary Nedler: Do so.
Agent Newcastle: duck!
Pagan Pub: Starbird and Fenemore open fire with two assault rifles and spray across the back wall, moving forward as they do so through the passed-out crowd.
Pagan Pub: Shells are striking Valiant, looks like a swarm of fireflies. Each one causes a little flare on the surface of Valiant’s field.
Agent Newcastle: Crawl behind them.
Pagan Pub: “Suck on this!” yells Starbird.
Agent Newcastle: Go get ’em!
Pagan Pub: The field is vibrating frantically, absorbing the power from the spray of fire.
Gary Nedler: :: keeps head down, mutters “bad karma, man” ::
Pagan Pub: Valiant stops smiling. “Enough!” and a wall of force bursts outward from his body and knocks the agents to the ground.
Pagan Pub: He spins around and does it again, smashing out the back of the building.
Pagan Pub: “GodDAMNIT!” he yells, and sprints.
Agent Newcastle: Good Lord, We blew it!
Agent Newcastle: After him!
Gary Nedler: Run after him. Where does he go to?
Pagan Pub: You both hear Starbird yelling into a radio or something.
Pagan Pub: You follow him through the wreckage. He’s running down an alleyway, not glowing.
Pagan Pub: But he *is* running *very* fast.
Gary Nedler: Is my taser broken? Is he in range?
Pagan Pub: The taser is toast.
Gary Nedler: Okay, just back up Newcastle.
Agent Newcastle: Pop off some shots at him!
Pagan Pub: Roll.
OnlineHost: Agent Newcastle rolled 1 100-sided die: 93
Agent Newcastle: Yell to Starbird”Bring the car around!” and continue pursuit.
Pagan Pub: Newcastle fires wildly down the alley. Valiant shouts something and jumps across the next building.
Pagan Pub: You think he covered about a block.
Gary Nedler: Helicopters would be real good right now.
Pagan Pub: One’s in the area, at your service.
Pagan Pub: [hey, you guys are feds! the world is your oyster.]
Gary Nedler: Okay, have it land, get on.
Agent Newcastle: How about one of those nice assault rifles?
Pagan Pub: It takes a couple minutes for the chopper to get there and land in the street.
Agent Newcastle: Get on Chopper.
Pagan Pub: In that time you get the word out. You have an assault rifle now, Newcastle.
Pagan Pub: Other teams are fanning out on the ground.
Pagan Pub: You guys pile on board and lift off.
Agent Newcastle: Say goodbye to St.Louis!
Gary Nedler: Can I get a new taser?
Pagan Pub: No time. Not one handy.
Pagan Pub: Give me Spot Hidden rolls.
OnlineHost: Gary Nedler rolled 1 100-sided die: 15
OnlineHost: Agent Newcastle rolled 1 100-sided die: 94
Gary Nedler: Yeah, spotted that hidden!
Pagan Pub: Well we know who the eagle eye here is, now don’t we?
Gary Nedler: Better get a pistol then, this is really dangerous.
Agent Newcastle: What about that bad karma?
Gary Nedler: :: doesn’t hear ::
Pagan Pub: You glimpse Valiant a block away, lifting someone out of a car without touching them.
Gary Nedler: Levitating them, you mean?
Pagan Pub: As he climbs into the car, the levitated guy implodes and the remains coat the sidewalk.
Gary Nedler: Whoa!
Agent Newcastle: Close in on him.
Pagan Pub: Whup-whup-whup-whup-whup-whup…
Pagan Pub: Valiant speeds off down the road. You spot two government sedans on side streets trying to cross over.
Pagan Pub: You guys are right on him.
Agent Newcastle: Spray car with lead if it’s safe to do so.
Pagan Pub: The pilot needs to move off to the side a bit to give you room. It’s a bit of a reach, you’re several stories up and then some.
OnlineHost: Agent Newcastle rolled 1 100-sided die: 47
Pagan Pub: You open fire with the assault rifle and hit the roof of the car and the trunk several times.
Gary Nedler: Any AtG missiles handy?
Pagan Pub: Gary: of course. You’re not proficient with them, though.
Gary Nedler: (LoL) Is the pilot? Good time to try one.
Gary Nedler: “Man, can’t you just blow this guy up?” (to pilot)
Pagan Pub: “If you can fly this bird.”
Gary Nedler: “No, man, I only ride bicycles.”
Agent Newcastle: I’m an auto man.
Pagan Pub: One of the chase cars screeches out of an alley and pulls in about half a black behind Valiant.
Pagan Pub: The second car does likewise a moment later.
Pagan Pub: But, Newcastle have been trained to use AtG weapons like this.
Agent Newcastle: Me? I’ll doit!
Pagan Pub: The two sedans implode below you on the street. Fire and shrapnel expand outward a moment later in a small holocaust.
Agent Newcastle: Good lord. Where’s that missle?
Gary Nedler: “This guy killed all those people. Think of the karmic backlash. Waste him. ”
Pagan Pub: The pilot yells something and pulls up sharply.
Pagan Pub: Newcastle, you get the tube out and start putting it together. Give me a roll.
OnlineHost: Agent Newcastle rolled 1 100-sided die: 69
Agent Newcastle: I can’t get a break!
Pagan Pub: Okay, you get it assembled and set up without too much trouble.
Agent Newcastle: Fire Away!
Pagan Pub: The pilot has pulled way up and is trailing behind, for now. He’s spooked.
Pagan Pub: Need to be closer and better in line with the car.
Gary Nedler: “Man, we can’t let this guy get away. Follow him.” Persuade roll?
Pagan Pub: Sure.
OnlineHost: Gary Nedler rolled 1 100-sided die: 70
Gary Nedler: blew it. Actually that’s Fast Talk, which still doesn’t make it.
Pagan Pub: The pilot yells something about the cars blowing up.
Agent Newcastle: Hey pal, peoples lives are at stake here. It’s your duty!(A real Persuade roll)
OnlineHost: Agent Newcastle rolled 1 100-sided die: 34
Agent Newcastle: Almost!
Gary Nedler: “Man, if you don’t get closer, a US Senator’ll be after you.” (lying)
Pagan Pub: He spouts off some random obscenities. You can still see the car up the street a block or two.
Gary Nedler: “And if you do go, we’ll transfer you out of Delta Green ops, man.”
OnlineHost: Gary Nedler rolled 1 100-sided die: 3
Pagan Pub: VROOM!
Agent Newcastle: Good thing Don can make up for my lack of rolling ability!
Pagan Pub: The chopper swoops in fast and low. He moves off to the side enough to give you a clear shot.
Pagan Pub: He’s yelling again though.
Gary Nedler: What about?
Pagan Pub: “Go! Go! Go!” You’re zooming between rows of townhouses, minimal clearance.
Agent Newcastle: Fire!
Pagan Pub: Give me a roll. You have a 40% chance to hit.
OnlineHost: Agent Newcastle rolled 1 100-sided die: 95
Gary Nedler: Scratch one townhouse.
Agent Newcastle: Is there a relaod around?
Pagan Pub: The missile streaks out the side of the chopper and destroys the second floor of a building.
Pagan Pub: There are additional tubes (each is one-use). 3 more.
Agent Newcastle: Reload!
Pagan Pub: The pilot yells something.
Agent Newcastle: Don, find out what he is yelling.
Gary Nedler: “Man, be cool. It’s all right, you can handle it.”
Pagan Pub: More obscenities. It’s hard to hear. The cabin is full of gas and smoke from the backblast.
Pagan Pub: Newcastle, you just grab another and set it up. No problem.
Agent Newcastle: Launch, this time with a little more care.
OnlineHost: Agent Newcastle rolled 1 100-sided die: 66
Pagan Pub: Big crater opens up in the street behind Valiant’s car.
Pagan Pub: Water sprays out from a pipe.
Pagan Pub: 2 more rockets.
Agent Newcastle: One more time. I won’t stop until we get him!
Agent Newcastle: reload
Gary Nedler: “Man, you’ve got to hit this time. It’s destiny, man.”
Pagan Pub: As you’re grabbing another tube and setting it up, Valiant smashes out of the roof of the car and zooms up into the air, glowing and spitting like a firecracker. The pilot pulls up sharp.
OnlineHost: Agent Newcastle rolled 1 100-sided die: 28
Pagan Pub: Valiant stares right at you from about forty feet away and screams “MOTHERFU-”
Pagan Pub: Then the missile hits him.
Agent Newcastle: Whooooo!
Pagan Pub: Both of you give me a roll.
OnlineHost: Gary Nedler rolled 1 100-sided die: 16
OnlineHost: Agent Newcastle rolled 1 100-sided die: 1
Agent Newcastle: I hope this is important
Gary Nedler: I think you made it, Shaft.
Pagan Pub: The two of you awaken in a hospital.
Pagan Pub: All major organs and body parts appear to be connected.
Gary Nedler: “Good, man, I like that.”
Pagan Pub: Starbird, Fenemore, and Gaston are there.
Agent Newcastle: What happened?
Gary Nedler: “Anybody get the number of that psychic?”
Pagan Pub: Fenemore says “The chopper went down, smashed into a building.”
Pagan Pub: “That mid-air explosion was something. Shattered windows for three blocks and knocked the power out. You got him, I think.”
Agent Newcastle: How are we going to cover this up?
Pagan Pub: Gaston looks very uncomfortable. “We had substantial collateral damage. It’s not going to be easy.”
Agent Newcastle: Did the pilot survive?
Pagan Pub: Starbird looks at the floor.
Pagan Pub: Gaston speaks again. “None of you did.”
Agent Newcastle: what?
Pagan Pub: Starbird says, “The pilot died in the crash. The two of you are dead as well, officially.”
Gary Nedler: “Gaston, transfer him posthumously out of our unit. I promised.”
Agent Newcastle: LOL
Pagan Pub: He furrows his brows. “Uh, okay.
Gary Nedler: “Seriously, man, it’s the only thing I can do.”
Pagan Pub: Look.
Pagan Pub: Twelve civilians died in your pursuit. We can’t cover that up very easily. It was VERY visible.”
Agent Newcastle: Sorry, but it had to be done!
Pagan Pub: “I know that and you know that, but it’s not very easy to explain to others.”
Pagan Pub: “So you guys take the fall.”
Gary Nedler: “New Age Psychic goes Crazy, kills 12, film at 11?”
Agent Newcastle: Crystal Cult on the Rampage?
Pagan Pub: “So: officially, the two of you overstepped your orders and took matters into your own hands. You disobeyed direct commands to halt the pursuit. Finally, you were killed in the explosion with the terrorists.”
Gary Nedler: “What about my wife and daughter, man? I can tell them, can’t I?”
Pagan Pub: Gary, your family will be “killed” in a retaliatory terrorist attack in a couple of weeks. They will join you at that time.
Gary Nedler: “Okay. Can they sell the business? What about the house? Jennifer’s college boards?”
Pagan Pub: “We’ll take care of all that Gary.”
Pagan Pub: “Your records will be doctored to suggest mental instability and a history of disobedience.”
Agent Newcastle: Will we be informed of any follow-up investigation?
Pagan Pub: Gaston furrows his brows. “You won’t be informed of the investigation. I’m expecting you to LEAD the investigation as you have been. Under new identities, and with a bit of lag time to shuffle personnel around so you won’t be identified.”
Agent Newcastle: Alright! Thats what I’m talking about.
Pagan Pub: “Right now, we’re going to get you out of Missouri to a CIA facility. You’ll recuperate and be debriefed fully by myself and one other DG-aware individual.”
Gary Nedler: “Okay, man. Now what about Valiant? Any remains?”
Pagan Pub: “Valiant’s head was found this morning by a fourth-floor tenant of a building two blocks away. It came in through the window.”
Agent Newcastle: A morning newspaper so to speak?
Pagan Pub: I guess you could call it a headline.
Agent Newcastle: Booooo
Gary Nedler: Oh, are you going to hit us with SANity loss for tonight?
Pagan Pub: There were 11 casualties at Enolsis. The rest of the crowd was shaken but alright.
Pagan Pub: Actually, I am. This isn’t a sudden thing, but it will reflect your experience over all. Roll, please.
Gary Nedler: I knew it.
OnlineHost: Agent Newcastle rolled 1 100-sided die: 29
OnlineHost: Gary Nedler rolled 1 100-sided die: 90
Gary Nedler: Ooops.
OnlineHost: Pagan Pub rolled 1 6-sided die: 5
OnlineHost: Pagan Pub rolled 1 10-sided die: 2
Pagan Pub: Nedler:5, Newcastle: 2
Pagan Pub: You got off light. 😉
Agent Newcastle: Thanks!
Gary Nedler: My loss from last time hasn’t come back, though, right.
Pagan Pub: Nope. No gains for either of you.
Pagan Pub: There will be about a two-week lag in game time while you recuperate and discuss stuff.
Pagan Pub: [game time, not real time]
Pagan Pub: Then you’ll decide what to do next.
Agent Newcastle: Are you sure thats safe?
Gary Nedler: I assume Gaston, Fenemore, and Starbird are keeping the local investigation going.
Agent Newcastle: We might be too late to find something.
Pagan Pub: Yeah, actually the big thing will be looking over Enolsis’ computer files here (impounded, of course) and interviewing members.
Pagan Pub: Well, you two will have the lag time. The others will continue and see what turns up. I can safely tell you now, though, that nothing much will happen. You’ll learn some stuff, but nothing that is time-critical.
Agent Newcastle: O.K.
Pagan Pub: In fact, I’ll summarize right now. I’ll be out of town next weekend, so this info will be in the transcript for the other players to read in the meantime.
Pagan Pub: Analysis of the records shows a substantial discrepancy in the actual number of members and the number reported to the central office.
Pagan Pub: It appears that Valiant was recruiting heavily but only reporting about 2/3 of the resulting members.
Pagan Pub: He funneled their money to himself, but that wasn’t all that much.
Pagan Pub: What was important, apparently, was the crystals. He was cutting the normal Enolsis crystals in two, since each new member is supposed to get one.
Gary Nedler: Ah!
Pagan Pub: That way he could sign them up but not report them all.
Pagan Pub: This is pieced together from other office people at the local chapter. They had no idea he was doing this, but it becomes apparent.
Pagan Pub: What the advantage was in this is hard to say. The monetary gain was negligible. The new members who were kept off the books had nothing special in common, and seemed to be chosen arbitrarily.
Pagan Pub: Major Daniels is on the list of off-the-official-records members.
Pagan Pub: That’s why he had one of the half-size crystals.
Gary Nedler: Any disappearances of members?
Pagan Pub: No disappearances. The members interviewed are pretty clueless about the whole thing.
Gary Nedler: Stick a map full of pins. Do their residences form a pattern?
Pagan Pub: Nope, not at all.
Gary Nedler: Too easy, I guess.
Pagan Pub: Pattern analysis of all relevant variables turns up nothing. Valiant’s selection appears to be pretty much random; every other one or so would be kept off the books.
Gary Nedler: The people that were immolated at the meeting, did they all have smaller crystals, or some of each?
Pagan Pub: The first five had the smaller crystals. Of the next six, two had normal ones and four had small ones.
Gary Nedler: Hmmm.
Agent Newcastle: If Rex was ValiantÕs henchman, would he have recognized us?
Pagan Pub: Recognized you from where?
Agent Newcastle: Valiant should have known us at the meeting.
Pagan Pub: Oh, I see. If Rex had a good look at you and could have told Valiant, maybe. He never saw you, Newcastle. And he never saw Nedler either, except for that brief moment when he was unconscious at the hotel.
Gary Nedler: Rex only got a good look that we know of, at Starbird.
Agent Newcastle: Oh, thatÕs good for us.
Pagan Pub: The upstairs was being used as living space for Valiant. Sizable caches of drugs, money, and firearms/explosives were uncovered.
Gary Nedler: Is this drug ring stuff, or terrorist stuff?
Pagan Pub: Gary: neither. Valiant apparently got out of drugs and arms smuggling when he got his “new life.”
Pagan Pub: But he had his contacts, and kept HIMSELF supplied with both.
Gary Nedler: Okay, so these are personal items, not an armory for a bunch of people.
Pagan Pub: Well, it was a sizable cache but clearly personal preference stuff. No multiples.
Agent Newcastle: Analysis of large crystal shards?
Pagan Pub: Newcastle: the shards resemble the crystal found earlier. Substantial stress on the atoms though, with disrupted areas and various strangeness.
Pagan Pub: Other notes from the lag time: the previous head of the local chapter of Enolsis died a few months after Valiant disappeared and joined Enolsis.
Gary Nedler: Pure coincidence, probably. 😉
Pagan Pub: The group was pretty small and unknown at that point. Valiant energized it to a great extent.
Gary Nedler: What about other Enolsis chapters? Are they bigger or smaller?
Gary Nedler: Is it possible Valiant was instructed to stay below a certain critical mass and went above without reporting it?
Gary Nedler: That would imply a network of people possibly doing this.
Pagan Pub: Enolsis chapters range from a dozen to 100+. Valiant’s group was sizable but not unusual.
Pagan Pub: Why he was keeping members off the rolls is unknown.
Agent Newcastle: So, is it safe to assume the power came from Valiant and not from the crystals?
Pagan Pub: Make whatever assumptions you like.
Gary Nedler: How big is the Living Power’s personal group?
Pagan Pub: Well, that would presumably include the staff at the Tulsa HQ, etc. plus all sorts of other people there…maybe 120 or so.
Gary Nedler: And Valiant’s was about half of that?
Pagan Pub: Yeah.
Pagan Pub: The total membership is much larger, of course.
Gary Nedler: Okay, see if we can find out more about the big crystal.
Gary Nedler: Is that normal in Enolsis chapters? How long was Valiant using it?
Pagan Pub: The crystal was used by his predecessor. You don’t know if it’s normal for all groups, though.
Pagan Pub: It isn’t mentioned explicitly.
Pagan Pub: The staff at the local branch thinks it is, though.
Gary Nedler: Okay. Maybe we should find another in another city and impound it.
Agent Newcastle: Don, do you think we need to confiscate the regular Enolsis crystals?
Gary Nedler: I imagine we’ve got the whole group in bars at this point; we can probably do what ever we want
Gary Nedler: Accessories to terrorism, etc.
Pagan Pub: Well, it’s being played as “leadership gone bad.” Valiant is the big bad guy; he had “unknown associates” who escaped and are being sought. He was just using the poor Enolsis goofs for money, ego, etc.
Pagan Pub: But the other workers there and the membership are considered innocent.
Pagan Pub: Which in fact they are; Valiant appears very much to have been a loose cannon of some sort.
Agent Newcastle: I think Pagan is being truthful. Valiant was the only threat.
Gary Nedler: I think you’re right, but if these people are batteries waiting to be tapped…
Gary Nedler: Can we do some controlled meditations on several crystals? See if they behave like the other one?
Pagan Pub: Sure.
Pagan Pub: Fenemore supervises the experiment.
Pagan Pub: It takes him two weeks to figure it out.
Gary Nedler: Does he have any hair left?
Pagan Pub: Each member’s crystal constantly works to leach energy off its owner at a very slow but steady pace.
Pagan Pub: Following the instructions each member receives, you meditate in front of it each week. When Fenemore did so, he felt an uplifting sensation which he explains as being a portion of his leached energy returned all at once. The immediate effect is a very positive, confident feeling. But the crystal takes a *net gain* of energy from you each week. Not so much that you don’t regain it, but just enough to stay ahead of the feel-good sessions.
Gary Nedler: So it’s a lot like cocaine use.
Pagan Pub: Sort of. It isn’t strong enough to be very addicting. Unless you could put a lot of energy into your crystal each week, and therefore get a BIG burst back.
Gary Nedler: Say, by tapping all the little crystals into a big one?
Pagan Pub: Could be. The crystal is still ahead — it only gives you a percentage of what you put in. But it gives it to you in one shot.
Gary Nedler: And if you’re putting in other people’s energy, you come out way ahead.
Pagan Pub: The question is where does it all go? If several thousand Enolsis members are putting energy into their crystals every week, what happens to it?
Gary Nedler: The Living Power = Super Valiant?
Agent Newcastle: So Valiant thought these crystals were cool and gave one to his dad, who absorbed energy from the party goers until it exploded.
Pagan Pub: To Major Daniels, actually, who was sort of his patron and party-buddy. Kind of an uncle.
Pagan Pub: His dad thought the whole business was for chumps.
Gary Nedler: What was special about the orgy that it absorbed all that energy?
Gary Nedler: I mean, that’s not part of the normal meditation regimen, right?
Pagan Pub: No, it’s not. But member’s crystals only draw from the owner. Valiant’s is apparently different.
Pagan Pub: Only Fenemore was affected in his experiment; he could measure spikes in his brain activity when the crystal leached him. But others weren’t touched.
Gary Nedler: How odd. This is true of all the crystals?
Pagan Pub: Testing will determine that.
Pagan Pub: He suspects it’s because he was the one meditating to the crystal, and the original owner was dead.
Gary Nedler: So he only did it for Daniels’ crystal?
Pagan Pub: Yep.
Gary Nedler: Wow. Lots to think about.
Agent Newcastle: Right,so we put it in a warehouse somewhere, and let the Enolsis goofs have their crystals
Gary Nedler: No we don’t, confiscate those things. How do you know another Valiant won’t come along?
Gary Nedler: Substitute them with harmless crystals from, say, Gary’s shop.
Agent Newcastle: I thought only the big crystal could absorb enough power?
Gary Nedler: All of them, we think, drain some from the owner.
Gary Nedler: The big one drains from other people.
Pagan Pub: Or other crystals. You two weren’t affected at all at the meeting.
Gary Nedler: We didn’t meditate, though.
Gary Nedler: Wasn’t everyone else meditating?
Pagan Pub: On their crystals, yes.
Gary Nedler: We’re going to have to start a nationwide campaign to confiscate ALL of them.
Agent Newcastle: Right!
Gary Nedler: Not tonight.
Pagan Pub: Heh!
Pagan Pub: The question is, if Valiant had a bigger crystal, who has the next-bigger one? And what’s the point?
Gary Nedler: Yeah, and how do you make more?
Pagan Pub: So, let’s wrap it up here for tonight.
Agent Newcastle: O.K.
Gary Nedler: Wow. Another great game, Pagan.
Agent Newcastle: Well, I guess thatÕs it.
Pagan Pub: Well Newcastle, I hope you enjoyed your first game on AOL.
Agent Newcastle: Definitely
Gary Nedler: Nice playing with you Newcastle. Join us again.
Pagan Pub: Thanks for playing! I had a great time.
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