Children of Baal After Action Report
Our three member team arrived in the small town of of Torresdale, OH to investigate the murders of a school teacher. Rebecca Barnes, our occultist immediately identified marks of ritual murder relating to geomancy in the autopsy photos. We investigated the local area in our database and discovered not just one nexus of ley lines, but three. By investigating the three sites, we found that someone had claimed two of them and was beginning to draw power from the third. When we began our ritual to reclaim the third site for holy purposes, we found a 4th grade class of children playing hide-and-seek in the area. The class, apparently on a field trip, invited us for hot chocolate back as a picnic grove near the nexus. Their teacher was present and we sat down to enjoy the beverage with him. Our team immediately grew ill, and we each suspect the hot chocolate had been poisoned. Rebecca passed out, Elizabeth Porter, our team's "muscle" attempted to vomit the hot chocolate, while I reeled from the effects and nearly passed out. In my hazy mind, I could see Elizabeth use her miracle of Transformation to change into a giant black bear. She grabbed Rebecca and me and headed for our car, about a half mile away. When we got to the car, the teacher from the picnic grove was already there and leveled a hunting rifle at Liz. She charged him, while I drove away with Rebecca, who was still knocked out from the poison. When I looked in my rear view mirror to see how Liz was doing, I could see that she was being chased by an Incubus, and several smaller demons. I slammed on the brakes, brandished my crucifix, and called upon the Wrath of God to punish these demons. Liz, still in bear form, used her miracle of Pyrokinesis to hurl fireballs at the demons. Between the two of us, we managed to dispatch the demons, but our car was damaged by numerous stray fireballs and the dents and scratches of several demons. Liz was also too weak to transform back into human form, so we quickly drove to the local Catholic church to seek help. As a priest, I was welcomed into the rectory and told the pastor that I had a strange request but that he must help me. We hid the car in the garage of the rectory, and I requested that Liz, still in bear form, be allowed into the sanctuary of the church so that she might regain strength to transform back into human form. With that, the pastor asked, "Is the bear Catholic?"
Your Servant in Christ,
Father Lawrence O'Malley
System: Against the Darkness (Vatican Conspiracy Horror)
Title: And Death Shall Have No Dominion
Slot 4 (Saturday March 31, 9AM-1PM)
Max Players: 6
Beginner Friendly
Description:
A small Midwestern town has been of some interest because of repeated grave robbing over the past few years. Now, you're sent to investigate when a critically ill woman is kidnapped from the local hospital. Above all, don't feed the paranoia and superstition that are already beginning to cripple this small town.
Against the Darkness is an exciting game of modern Vatican horror, conspiracy and investigation in which the creatures of myth and nightmare prey upon an unsuspecting humanity. The only defense is a small and steadily shrinking cadre of holy defenders. Against the Darkness allows you to dance upon the edge of the abyss and attempt to drive the darkness back into its depths.
System: Against the Darkness (Vatican Conspiracy Horror)
Title: Our Greatest Glory
Slot 10 (Sunday April 1, 11AM-3PM)
Max Players: 6
Beginner Friendly
Description:
If there's a demon, ghost, or vampire who needs to be sent back to Hell, they send in the Justiciars (jus-tih-shee-ers): the elite demon hunters, who face unspeakable evil with only faith, knowledge, and miraculous powers to keep them alive. Despite these powers, combat with a true demon is a terrifying proposition. Death, crippling injury and insanity are all more-than-likely outcomes of a mission. Now the Justiciars must use their skills to PROTECT a demon, a fallen angel seeking redemption.
Against the Darkness is an exciting game of modern Vatican horror, conspiracy and investigation in which the creatures of myth and nightmare prey upon an unsuspecting humanity. The only defense is a small and steadily shrinking cadre of holy defenders. Against the Darkness allows you to dance upon the edge of the abyss and attempt to drive the darkness back into its depths.
Coming Soon: Bits of the Wilderness: Into the Mountains - Take your PC's to the mountaintop! Scads of mountainous terrain descriptions to take your player's breath away. Recent Writing Credits: Halls of Horror - Tabletop's first modern Bits project. Tons of horrific descriptions of building interiors to amp up the tension in your game sessions.
Against the Darkness Sessions have been scheduled for Origins 2007.
Friday, July 6, 2:00pm
Saturday, July 7, 2:00pm
More details about these events will come as the Con gets closer.
We enjoy hearing about folk's game sessions. Regale us with tales of sessions already played, or tell us about upcoming sessions or events that are being planned, either way, we look forward to hearing from folks.
Coming Soon: Bits of the Wilderness: Into the Mountains - Take your PC's to the mountaintop! Scads of mountainous terrain descriptions to take your player's breath away. Recent Writing Credits: Halls of Horror - Tabletop's first modern Bits project. Tons of horrific descriptions of building interiors to amp up the tension in your game sessions.
I just started a Wikipedia article for Against the Darkness. It's been something that I've been thinking about doing for a while, and I had a little bit of time to do it earlier today. So, the article is started. There is still a great deal of work to be done to bring it up to standards, so if there are any fans that want to help, feel free. Wikipedia frowns on self-promotion, so if there's any TTA staffers who have a correction that they want to see in the article, let me know, and I'll make the necessary changes during my next edit.
The team arrived by commercial airliner to the regional airport and drove a rental car to the town. After noticing several years of regular grave robbery in this sleepy town, our office was alerted when a critically ill woman was reported missing from the local hospital. When we arrived and investigated, we found that a resident had seen the woman wandering about the town. Following the trail through standard investigative practice as well as Divination, we were reasonably certain we had tracked the woman to a private residence. Our waking dreamer told us that a window would open to signal that we were about to locate the woman.
We gained entry to the home through a standard door in the garage, where we found digging tools inside a panel van. The owner of the residence interrupted the search, at which time we forced him in the basement of the home, in an attempt to locate the woman. In the basement, our good observation skills located a circle of carpeting that had been cut. Removing the carpet, we found a summoning circle, only to have the owner of the home begin an incantation which summoned a demon while one of our party was still in the circle. A fight ensued, but we were able to use our various miracles to hold our own against the demon. Our neophyte used her Holy Aura to protect herself while taunting and attacking the demon, which allowed the rest of our group to attack without being harmed. The demon soon realized that it was defeated and attempted to flee by flying through a basement window. The demon was stopped by a telekinetic block, but the window was still open, which shown a light on the removable panel on the wall. We then destroyed the demon's corporeal body.
Behind the panel was a laboratory right out of a gothic horror tale. The resident of the home had been experimenting with summoning and had been attempting to develop a means of resurrection of the dead, having lost his young wife several years earlier. We took him into custody and have him placed in a residential treatment facility. The summoning circle has been destroyed. A reliable cover story for the happenings has been provided to the local law enforcement and disseminated through the media. This case is now closed.
Friends, I'm running 12 hours of an Against the Darkness LARP at MEPACon (http://www.mepcon.com) on Nov 2 and 3. It's a medieval variant, 'cause, well, that's what people were asking me to do. I'll be sure to post the AAR within a week of completion. If you're interested in attending, let me know via e-mail (msarno at epix dot net). I hope to see you there.
-Mike
Last edited by MikeSarno; 5th November 2007 at 02:24 PM..
My Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
God be praised, with His help we have managed to defeat the evil that threatened our abbey. It was not without cost, as Abbot Jacques and two visiting pilgrims, one a priest, were possessed by demons and had to be destroyed. May God have mercy on their souls. Strange events have transpired here, and it is unlikely that anything I write will be able to convey the happenings of the past week. Many of our brothers experienced horrifying dreams and some were driven almost to madness by them. The dreams then began to afflict some of the visiting pilgrims. The Abbot had us inspect the crypt numerous times, always after Compline. We have seen the ossuary emptied by some unseen force, and the bones of our departed brothers have not yet been found. A powerful demon, who had convinced many villagers that he was a pagan god, was attempting to enter our world through the ossuary. All who entered the crypt were prone to fits of madness. Our dear Abbot among them. One of our brothers and young pilgrim girl saw the Abbot desecrate our ancient chapel. We have reconsecrated both the crypt and chapel, but we are need of carpenters and stone masons to complete the repairs.
It is with grief that we read the news from your Abbey. The loss of Abbot Jacques will be felt indeed. Unfortunately, such a loss is not infrequent in these dark days. Nevertheless, we await news of the appointment of a new Abbot. In the interim, we shall continue to address our correspondence to your attention. Your request for laborers and materials was submitted as promptly as we had received it and we are thankful to have news to relay. Your request has been granted and you should prepare the abbey to receive such laborers and materials as you require. May our Lord and Saviour continue to protect you in your time of travail.
Grace and Peace Be Unto You,
Sr. Santos,
Handmaiden of the Lord
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