Session 57
Okay, I
thought we were going to take a break from Zeitgiest, having run out of buffer adventures, and determined not to start adventure #4 until #5 was released - mainly because #4 is low on combat, high on exploration and interaction and my group busts through the latter like nobody's business. So I thought we would try a bit of playtesting. But that wasn't scratching our
Zeitgeist itch.
So we decided to devote our last two sessions before the Xmas/New Year break to the opening Act of
Always on Time.
This is what happened during the 'planning montage':
This week, the unit began preparations for their mission in Danor. Over the next seven weeks they endeavoured to throw the Obscurati off their scent; develop secret identities; anticipate problems they might encounter on the spy mission and make appropriate contingency plans.
My group loved this stuff. One of my players said it was his favourite session ever.
The session began with a debriefing in Stover Delft's office, in which Delft explained the limits of their mission, encouraged them to think about unexplored leads (whereupon they remembered the bronze golem) and explained why they could not take their suspicions any higher and get more powerful help. (Fear that whoever they contacted might be corrupted/compromised.)
They aced their secrecy checks (which is a shame, cos one of the players is feeding information to Governor Stanfield...), successfully developed
two layers of secret identities and prepared for a wide number of contingencies:
- Sly Marbo set off for Danor ahead of the rest of the group and worked to get a job on board the Avery Coast rail line.
- His success in this mission led to the accrual of two '20-20 hindsight tokens'. (The player was absent.)
- The group have arranged for a relief package of additional supplies to be waiting for them in Trekhom, along with their support ship.
- They took the very intelligent precaution of comissioning both the Khalundurrin and the Roscommon. The former would take them to Beaumont and then return to Flint, while the latter would be waiting in Beaumont and follow them along the coast. The captain of each ship would only receive their final orders once they had sailed.
- They developed the secret identities of a former Yersaol vet, come wealthy landowner, now touring the Avery Coast with his son, bodyguard, Danoran guide, manservant and war buddy.
- With time to spare they developed a second layer of identities, should their initiial disguises come into question - another genius move IMHO. If compromised, they would then 'confess' to being Danoran secret police and produce authentic documentation - complemeting the suspicious party on their acumen and requesting their complicity and assistance...
- They managed to obtain special passes that would enable them to use teleportation circles along the Avery Coast rail line. (Though this would still incur a cost, they would not require any additional documents or proof of purpose, as Danoran secret police.)
- They arranged for a huge reinforced but empty 10'x10' crate to be loaded on to the train, complete with a secret hatch. (To serve as a makeshift prison, interrogation chamber or hidey-hole. Who knows what they will end up using this for...)
Meanwhile, each member of the unit experienced the following developments in their personal lives:
Malthusius
- Contacted by Dozy Mendici on behalf of Cippiano. Recent events (namely the failed strike on Kell) had left the Family feeling exposed. Reprisals had already occured. Further cooperation with the unit on the subject of their 'mutual friend' would only be possible if the RHC was proven to be serious about tackling him.
- Isaac dan der Grimnebulin was installed as Mayor of the Nettles on a provisional basis. He managed to gain access to Macbannin's lab, and raised the question of where the excess Witchoil disappeared to.
Uru
- Became interested in working on the shattered Bronze golem Carlao's unit had found. Liaised with the Royal Engineer, Justin Rollins, who was somewhat guarded and too methodical for Uru's liking. Not much progress made here. (Yet...)
- Visited by local Nettles urchins interested in playing in his garden: twin sprites, a hedgehog hengeyokai and a young lad with motorized caterpillar wheels for feet. (Uru has planted a garden with plants from the border of the Dreaming and the Bleak Gate - where his people the deep faen come from. The spores enable the spirits of dead children to manifest and play in safety.)
Leon
- Returned from the Dreaming a changed tiefling, with a new fey pact and a cemented affiliation with the Vekeshi. (He now has a dual theme, having begun the campaign as a Martial Scientist.)
- Used diamond dust to empower the hurtloam given to Korrigan by the River King. This was used to heal the terrible scars he had borne on his hands and face for seven years. (+1 to CHA!!)
- Lily (his scarred tiefling liver) was disturbed and bereft by this change.
Korrigan
- Having disbanded Carlao's unit at the end of adventure #3 (with only Dima left in Flint), Korrigan was charged with putting together a Team B to look after matters in flint while he and the 'A-team' were away. (Enabling us to run some low-level buffer adventures ahead of Cauldron Born.)
- Bernard and other followers of Nevard Sechim volunteered to watch over his wife's sanctuary in Korrigan's absence.
- Healing Leon with hurtloam led to the Marshal developing strange, eerily glowing lines on his face and hands whenever he adopted his Urim manifestation. They appeared to grant him ongoing healing powers. (Mark of healing feat and healer's hide. Korrigan's skin is his armour.)
Rumdoom
- Rumdoom began the slow process of having a mighty kraken tattooed on his torso and arms.
- Heward Sechim had been impressed by Rumdoom's newfound zeal for eschatology and his rejection of booze and excess. He also learned that that Black Star Mining were working in tandem with Pemberton Industries (for whom Heward had a profound distaste) and hoped that Rumdoom might be able to thwart their ambitions. To that end, he provided funds to establish a meeting house.
- Hildegaard and her father, Harn, rallied supporters for Rumdoom's first address. At first it did not go well, but when Rumdoom spoke from the heart (instead of trying to sound learned) it won his audience over. Only Thered and Thangir were unimpressed and accused him and his vision of being 'soft'. (These guys, Rumdoom's own contacts, will join the extremist eschatologists in adventure #5.)
- Just before the unit set off, Hildegaard and Harn presented Rumdoom with a fine suit of armor, a brand new shield and a craghammer, all emblazoned with eschatological runes. (These will tie in to his multiclass runepriest feat at level 10.)
Matunaaga
- Matunaaga continued to develop his fighting style, utilizing fists and firearms. (He is now a hybrid ranger/monk - heavily houseruled to allow this cool concept to actually work.)
- He left Flint to visit his family - Ayesha and his six children. She confirmed her belief that the path he now trod was the right one. Her skyseer visions confirmed this. (Matunaaga, as a maustin caji, is actually an alien - a reskinned githzerai. Though he looks human, he is not. The children are not really his, but adopted by him and Ayesha.)
Sly Marbo
- Was introduced by his Docker friends to works of the Grumbler.
- Headed for Danor six weeks ahead of the others.
Sly's character has developed very nicely. Based on a cross between Stephen Rea and Pete Postlethwaite, he is a rough Docker who plays the accordian and sings rebellion songs. His player is great at this type of stuff. Keeps the rest of the group laughing.
Next week - the Battle of Colmarr's Folly!