C.M. Simpson's Blog, page 141

Babes in London: Act Two, Scene Three B (Anika’s House, Part 3: Flashback—Hounds of the Law: Introduction)

SCENE THREE B: HOUNDS OF THE LAW
You stand before the wooden platform that should have hosted the trial. Lady Amintar, a magistrate from the port city of Elios, stands in the center of the platform and her body radiates the fury in her voice: “Three months ago the farmer Breytos left this freehold to try to sell his fleece in Elios. At that time it would have fetched three times the price he could have gained from selling it to the freehold.” She waits until the murmurs rising from the community gathered around you subside. “Breytos died when his horses bolted on the road through Mairnon’s Pass, taking themselves and the wagon over the edge and into the Heirions River. I am here because the magistrates have retrieved the wagon and found evidence of blisterionus on the harness of the both animals.” There is a collective gasp from the people around you and now their eyes understand two things: Your presence, and the disappearance of Breytos’ neighbour—with Breytos’ wife. Magistrate Amintar outlines the suspicions brought to her by Breytos’ daughters and the charge of murder laid against their mother and neighbour. “By the 101stlaw it is said that: Sabotage leading to the foreseeable chance of death for another is murder and the saboteur shall be tried as a murderer. In this case we have conducted our investigations and bring the case before you only to find that the accused have disappeared. Fortunately someone noted the disappearance, and there are volunteers for the hunt.” She looks directly at you and you bow. There is a smattering of nervous applause from the assembled freeholders. Your deeds are well known, but this is the first hunt where your prey has been human. “Give them all the help they require.” At this, the freeholders look towards you. You hear one mutter an excuse to his neighbour—something about having to take the sheep to pasture. It’s the start of an exodus. With a sigh, you realize two things—the reason you only received the call for help last night, and that you’ll have to use the dogs after all.

Babes in London: Act Two, Scene Three A (Anika’s House, Part 2: Second Floor)

SCENE THREE A: INVESTIGATING ANIKA’S HOME:
SECOND FLOOR
HALLWAY: There is a long, low cabinet lining one wall. The telephone sits atop it underneath a picture of a white horse carved into a hill. There is also a picture of a forest-framed stream and waterfall, but nothing else. Nothing appears to have been disturbed here and the china in the cabinet is all in one piece. There are five doors leading off from this corridor and a set of steps leading down to the rest of the house. (NOTES: There are no clues in this room.)
PARENT’S ROOM: This room is a mess. The bed clothes are flung back, and one of the bedside tables has been knocked over. A lamp and a pair of reading glasses lie on the floor near the bedroom window. Both are shattered. The curtains on the window are drawn. The mirror on the dressing table at the end of the bed is cracked, and a perfume bottle has been overturned. A jewellery box stands, apparently untouched, in the center of the dresser. You have just walked through the only door leading into this room. The doors to the wardrobe are closed. (NOTES: This was where Anika’s mother was captured. She was sleeping when the Servants struck. There is a small array of jewellery in the box and nothing seems to be missing.)
ANIKA’S ROOM: This room is also a mess. It is a child’s room, probably a little girl’s room, judging by the pictures of unicorns, fairies and dragons stuck on almost every available surface. The bed has been turned on its side, and the wardrobe doors opened. The curtains that once covered the window have been swept to the floor. In one corner is a small desk with a drawer on one side. The chair that once stood in front of the desk has been flung back almost a metre and lies on its back in the center of the room. There is a large picture of a unicorn standing beside a stern-looking woman in almost see-through robes above where the head of the bed should be. It is hanging slightly crooked. (NOTES: PCs making an Earth: Senses TH4 test realize that all the areas that have been disturbed would have provided a hiding place for a young child and that there does not appear to have been a struggle. This is a clue that Anika was not here when her parents were taken, but let PCs make their own deductions. PCs who investigate the picture and who make a Knowledge: Art test learn the following: TH3: This picture is slightly familiar. You think the artist can be found in the North London art scene;TH4: This picture is a copy of the original work which hangs in a gallery in Islington. Some art critics say that the work is a banal interpretation of an age-old theme but there are rumours that the unicorn and the woman within the picture move. The artist was one David Markovin who has a studio in Camden. PCs investigating the overturned bed must make an Air: Senses TH4 test to find the Setite identity disc dropped in the sheets. Once the disc is noticed, read or paraphrase, the following: There’s something familiar about the symbol outlined on the disc. You’re not sure what it is, but the sight of it has drawn your companions’ attention. As you reach for it, light slides across the surface of the disc and for a moment you are blinded by a brilliant flash of light. When you can see again you find yourselves in a completely different room and, possibly, a completely different land. GO TO SCENE 3C: FRIENDS OF KREDAK.PCs investigating the desk notice (Air: Senses TH3 test) that the drawer is locked. There is no test to notice this if they try to open the drawer – it won’t open because it’s locked. The drawer, if opened, contains Anika’s Book of Law. If PCs do not open the drawer then use the following description when they investigate the desk: On the desk itself are several books, and a space where one really thick book, or a few thinner books might have fit. There is no dust in the space. This is where Anika’s Book of Law sat. She could not fit it into her bag and hid it in the drawer, intending to sneak back and collect it, later. Any PC opening the drawer can find it. If they pick it up for a closer look they see the title, The Book of Law, and trigger the flashback in Scene 3B. When the book is handled, read or paraphrase the following: This is no book for a seven-year old, yet it appears to open at your touch, drawing your eyes to the neat, carefully formed script. It reads: LAW 101: Sabotage leading to the foreseeable chance of death for another is murder and the saboteur shall be tried as a murderer. The penalty for all murderers shall fit the crime. As your eyes fall on the word ‘crime’ the book is no longer in your hands, and you are no longer in Anika’s room. GO TO SCENE 3B: HOUNDS OF THE LAW
GUEST ROOM: This room is immaculately tidy. There are two double beds, neatly made, two night stands, each of which has a lamp and a box of tissues standing on it. A double wardrobe standing against the inner wall, and a sewing table tucked away in one corner. The curtains are drawn. (NOTES: There is nothing but coat hangers in the double wardrobe, and nothing at all in the drawers of each of the two nightstands. One lamp has a blown bulb, and neither of the tissue boxes has been opened. The sewing table has a half finished skirt (child-sized) sitting next to the sewing machine, but contains items to do with sewing and nothing else. There are no clues in this room.)
BATHROOM: Vanity, mirror-fronted cupboard, toothbrushes, toothpaste, rubbish bin, bath mat, slightly damp towels hanging over racks, soap, shower over a bathtub—this room is obviously a bathroom. (NOTES: There are two adult toothbrushes, but no child toothbrush (Air: Senses TH3 to notice), but all of the towels are slightly damp. One of the face flannels is missing (Air: Senses TH3). These are the only clues in this room and they indicate that Anika’s disappearance is separate to that of her parents, since hers is the only toothbrush missing. Let PCs draw their own conclusions about this. There are no bath toys (and never were, but, again, let PCs draw their own conclusions).
TOILET: It’s obvious what this room is. Toilet, toilet brush in its own stand, spare paper at the back near the wall, curved rug to keep your feet warm while you wait. Nothing appears to have been disturbed here. (NOTE: There are no clues in this room.)

Babes in London: Act Two, Scene Three A (Anika’s House, Part 2: Ground Floor)

SCENE THREE A: INVESTIGATING ANIKA’S HOME:

Once PCs have gained entry to Anika’s house they can begin their investigation of the following rooms:
FIRST FLOOR
ENTRY HALL: This is just beyond the front door. A mirror and bureau of drawers stands opposite the door. A shoe rack sits on the floor on the right-hand side beside an umbrella stand and underneath a coat rack. There are two adult-sized mackintoshes on the coat rack but no child-sized one. Likewise, there is a set of men’s shoes and a set of sensible women’s work shoes on the shoe rack, but no child-sized shoes. Three sets of Wellington boots are also on the rack (two adult- and one child-sized set). There are two doors leading off from the entry hall: one on the left and one on the right. (NOTE: These details are important because they indicate that the parents were forcibly taken, and add to the clues that Anika left of her own accord. The door to the left leads to the lounge room and the door on the right leads to the dining room.)
LOUNGE ROOM: This room can be entered through a door from the entry hall, through another door opposite the front of the house, or via the large window overlooking the front lawn. There is a picture of a mountain lake on the wall on the right and a bookcase stands beside it. The two-seater couch has been turned on its side and cushions have spilled onto the floor. Books have fallen out of the bookcase, and the coffee table is upside down in the middle of the room. A bag of knitting has been kicked over and balls of wool lie scattered over the floor. Part of the knitting pattern is poking out from under the couch and a half-completed scarf in a soft multi-shaded pink has been flung against the window. (NOTE: There is nothing to find in this room but evidence of the struggle involved in the capture of Anika’s father who was watching a late night soccer match when the Servants of Set struck.)
DINING ROOM: There are two entrances to this room. One leads in from the entry hall and is flanked by two large, narrow vases filled with irises. The other entrance is in the back left-hand corner of the room. It stands open and you can see the kitchen beyond it. A large front window overlooks the front lawn and drive way. Gauze curtains hang in front of it. The street outside is quiet. The table has been laid in preparation for breakfast, but nothing has been disturbed. There is no teapot sitting on the heat mat and the cups are still turned upside down on their saucers. A vase containing irises stands on a white lace doily in the center of the table. A large buffet of dark-colored wood stands opposite the door leading to the entry hall. There is a stair case leading upwards in an alcove beside the kitchen door. (NOTE: There is nothing of interest in this room. Exploring the buffet or anywhere else in the room reveals no clues.)
KITCHEN: There are two entrances to this room. One door leads to the dining room and through it you can see a table set for breakfast. The other door is closed but does not appear to lead to the back garden which can be seen through the gauze curtained window above the kitchen sink. Several small pots of herbs stand on the window sill above the sink. All the herbs appear to be healthy, if well-pruned. The kitchen holds what seems to be the usual array of cupboards and shelves, as well as an expanse of clean bench space. There is also a fridge and upright freezer in one corner. (NOTE: There is no evidence of a struggle in the kitchen. Nothing has been removed or broken. All the herbs on the window ledge are culinary and not poisonous or illegal: Air (Knowledge: Plants) or Air (Craft: Cooking) test TH3).
LAUNDRY: A washing machine, dryer, clothes basket and linen cupboard almost fill this tiny space. There is an ironing board folded away next to the linen cupboard. There are two doors leading from this space. One leads into an immaculate kitchen and the other to the back garden. There is also a large sink over a small cupboard just below a window looking out into the back garden. Through the window you can see a neat lawn in the center of which is a clothes line. (NOTE: There are cleaning chemicals in the cupboard under the sink and linen in the linen cupboard. There is also an iron and ironing aid on one of the linen cupboard shelves. The only clue in this room can be found in the dirty clothes in the linen basket where a set of Anika’s jeans and one of her shirts can be found. The label from a nursery plant is to be found in one pocket of her jeans, and crumpled leaves in the other. The label contains a logo, but not the name for the ‘Half-Time Nursery & Landscaping Services’. This will have to be found by looking up the phone book, or doing a search on the image. The label also has the name ‘Camellia sassanqua’ written on it and a picture of dark green leaves and a white flower, which do not match the crumpled leaves (Air: Knowledge: Horticulture, or Air: Craft: Gardening/Landscaping TH3). The leaf is from a Japanese maple – a relatively rare plant for gardening and quite expensive (Air: Knowledge: Horticulture, or Air: Craft: Gardening/Landscaping TH4).
BACK GARDEN: This consists of an expanse of grass surrounded by six-foot wooden fences. Narrow garden beds containing roses and some other kind of flower flank the fences on either side of the yard. There are two larger garden beds on the back right-hand side of the yard and what seems to be a tool shed at the back left-hand side. An empty clothes-line stands in the middle of the yard. (NOTES: The other kinds of flowers in the garden are camellias, daisies, and marigolds – Air: Knowledge: Horticulture or Air: Craft: Gardening/Landscaping TH3. Nothing is concealed in any of the garden beds. No clothes are on the line. The shed contains a lawn mower, a half-empty fuel can, a whipper-snipper, leaf blower and a variety of other garden tools.) The camellias are not sassanquas (TH:3).

Babes in London: Act Two, Scene Three A (Anika’s House, Part 1: Gaining Entry)

SCENE THREE A: INVESTIGATING ANIKA’S HOME:
When PCs reach Anika’s home, read or paraphrase the following:
Anika’s family lives in what looks like a small, two-story house with a tiny front lawn. You can see a policeman standing on the steps near the front door. He’s not knocking or trying to get in, but seems to be on guard. A squad car is pulled up out front, but there’s no one inside it. The policeman’s partner must either be in the house or around the back.
General information:The policeman is under strict orders not to let anyone in without authorization. No one wants the Press snooping around and giving out information the police are not ready to release. The man’s partner is currently guarding the back door.All the windows, on both the upper and lower floors, have been locked, as has the entrance to the coal cellar, and the external doors. PCs facing the house can see there is a narrow pathway down the right-hand side of the house, but entrance to the back yard is blocked by a locked gate. A brick wall, six-feet high can be seen on the left-hand side and observant PCs (Air: Senses, TH 4) catch a glimpse of yellow roses just visible on the other side.PCs have a number of options at this point:

Approaching either Policeman: Constables Watters (at the front door) and Mason (back door) will not allow the PCs entry unless able to obtain authorization from the detective in charge (DIC).

If PCs do not have the DIC’s business card or authorization to assist in investigations: the constables will not allow them entry to the house.

If PCs have organized meeting with Leyila’s parents, they are recognized at the door and given access to the house ‘for a short time only Mr/Miss …’ along with instructions not to ‘touch anything; no tidying up.’ etc.

Once PCs have been approached and denied permission to enter, the constables are particularly vigilant regarding all attempts by the PCs to gain entry to the house (+2 TH to opposed Senses tests for anyone trying to avoid detection). The constables call for back up rather than confront intruders on their own, knowing there is always help 4 rounds away. They also notify the station and their colleagues at Leyila’s house of the approach, and a squad car is sent out to pick the PCs up for questioning—an encounter which will keep them at the station until four p.m. that afternoon.

If the PCs have a business card and have been granted permission to help in investigations: the constables call for authorization, which allows PCs entry to the house. (Forensics has already been and, as long as the PCs don’t disturb the numbered markers or make a mess of the house, they are allowed inside to conduct their investigations.)

If the PCs have a business card, but have not been granted permission, or asked, to help in investigations: the constables call for authorization, which results in one of the PCs having to speak to the detective in charge in order to explain why they are interested. If the PC can convince the detective to either allow them to conduct their own investigation, or aid in police investigations, they will be allowed entry to Anika’s house. This requires an Air (Trickery) or Air (Interaction) test with a base TH of 3. The following modifiers apply:

TH Modifier        Circumstance

+1                          PC was cooperative when contacted by police and is of a private investigator, 
                              police or teaching background.
+2                          PC was cooperative when contacted by police and is of a background that is not 
                              policing, private investigation, teaching, criminal, or homeless
+3                          PC was cooperative when contacted by police and is of a criminal or homeless 
                              background
+4                          PC was uncooperative (regardless of background).
 
Attempting to sneak into the house unobserved: To do this, PCs have to make opposed Senses tests in order to reach the house unobserved. If they succeed, they are hidden down one of the two sides of the house. Breaking windows requires another opposed Senses test with a +3 difficulty to the TH (since it is a quiet neighbourhood), although climbing to the second floor (where they will still have to break a window to gain entry) from either of these sides does not add to the TH, since it is a quiet neighbourhood and most of its residents are at work. Breaking a window to gain entry to the second floor not only attracts a +2 penalty to the TH, but adds a +2 to the Climbing TH in order for the PC to avoid losing his grip and falling.

Gaining entry to the house by ‘neutralizing’ the police officers on the door: Roll opposed Senses tests to approach either constable undetected, then conduct combat as normal. Alternatively PCs can try to approach the constables openly and take them by surprise. This requires an opposed Trickery test for the PCs to get close enough to attack an unsuspecting officer.

POLICE CONSTABLES WATTERS & MASON
See the ‘Cop’ entry in the Fireborn Gamemaster’s Handbook .

Babes in London: Act Two, Scene Two (At the Park)

SCENE TWO: AT THE PARK
If the PCs go to the park, read (or paraphrase) the following:
The park is not as empty as you might expect for this time of day. From the footpath across the street, you can see three main groups. The girl with the dog is there. She looks like she’s playing fetch with the monster, sitting on the edge of the round-a-bout and throwing a bright blue bone the size of your forearm. Whenever the dog grabs it, the bone gives out this ear-splitting shriek that’s got to be driving everyone in earshot crazy. The limo’s back, parked at the kerb on the opposite side of the park. The couple in it are drinking coffee and reading their papers. They occasionally look up, keeping tabs on what’s going on in the park.

Investigating the People in the Limo: If the PCs have already met the Gehenna Consortium, this is where they can renew their contact. If they haven’t here is a chance for them to get involved.

(i)                 A New Gehenna Consortium Contact: If the PCs approach the car and they have not yet contacted the Gehenna Consortium, Alice (see previously) pretends not to see them until they tap on the outside of her window. Read of paraphrase the following:

With what might be an exasperated frown, the auburn-haired lady cracks her window. “Can I help you?” she asks, and you notice the tones of aristocracy in her voice.
 

Alice has brown eyes, if the PCs want to know. She asks the PCs to explain what they want. If the PCs ask about the girls, she pretends suspicion and demands to know what their interest is in the children. If the PCs state that they are interested in the girls’ welfare, she explains that her company is also interested in the girls and their families, claiming that they are part of a routine investigation for the Brontina Mining Company’s Human Resources Department. It seems that Trevor Andrews, Leyila’s father, has applied to do some engineering work in Australia for them. (This is a half-truth. If PCs are suspicious of Alice’s explanation, they can make an Earth – Interaction/Trickery; test to oppose Alice’s Air – Trickery test. Alice has made a stance change based on her Trickery score so her aspects are currently: F1, W1, A7, E3. She is at her most persuasive, and the mook driving the car is ready to drive her out of trouble: F2, W5, A2, E2.)

If the PCs seem amenable, or if one of them is a private investigator, Alice states that she has the authority to hire extra personnel if she needs them and, seeing as they are likely to get under each other’s feet if they work against each other, would the PCs consider continuing their investigations and being paid for it? If the PCs agree, she can offer them £100/day each for them to continue the search for the missing girls and report back to her. If the PCs accept her offer, they gain the status of ‘Friends of the Consortium’. If they decline, they have attracted the Consortium’s attention and come under increasingly close scrutiny as the adventure progresses. Alice also warns them away from the girl with the dog, saying: “We know all about them; they’re not friends. Don’t have anything to do with them.” .

(ii)               Renewing a Gehenna Consortium Contact:The PCs recognize the car from their previous encounter with the Gehenna Consortium. If they have been told to meet a Consortium contact at the park, this is one of their options. As they are already ‘Friends of the Consortium’, Alice explains that the terms of their hire have changed to match the circumstances. The PCs are now tasked with finding out what happened to the girls and retrieving them if possible. She also warns them to stay away from the girl and the dog, saying: “We know all about them; they’re not friends. Don’t have anything to do with them.” If the PCs are already involved with LN7, and Alice discovers this, she terminates their contract immediately. (PCs also later discover that their accounts have been cleared out and that the bank is reluctant to reopen them, or to admit it ever had any dealings with them. The bank’s reaction is so extreme that persistent PCs will find themselves escorted from the premises by security, although they will find their accounts restored 24 hours later.)

Investigating the Guy with the Dog: If the PCs have already met the LN7 operatives, this is where they can renew their contact. If they haven’t, here is a chance for them to get involved.

(i)                 Making a New LN7 Contact: If the PCs have not yet met LN7, they may wish to try and approach the girl with the dog. She asks them what they are doing in the park. “Could be bad for you, you know? Put you on the wrong side of a police investigation, with these two little girls gone. ” If the PCs reveal their interest in the girls, the operative gives his name as Maria Ambersides. She uses the same cover story as Alice, claiming to be a Human Resources investigator for the Brontina Mining Company. In her case it is the truth; her work for LN7 relies on her being able to travel all over the world in the course of her work for Brontina. She also offers to hire them to continue the investigations for £100/day each and warns them away from the Gehenna Consortium limo, saying: “It belongs to the Gehenna Consortium. They’ve got all sorts of shady deals going. Been known to mess with the black arts. A very bad bunch” . If they accept her offer, they gain the status of ‘Friends of LN7’.

(ii)               Renewing an LN7 Contact: The PCs recognize the dog, if not the agent, who is wearing yet another dolphin t-shirt. As they approach, the dog curls up at its master’s feet and chews the blue plastic bone, causing it to squeal in protest. A nudge from the toe of its owner makes it stop so that they can speak. The agent explains that the terms of their hire have changed now that the girls have gone missing. The PCs are now tasked with finding out what happened to the girls and retrieving them if possible. He also indicates the limo and tells PCs to stay away from it, saying: “It belongs to the Gehenna Consortium. They’ve got all sorts of shady deals going. Been known to mess with the black arts. A very bad bunch.” If the PCs reveal dealings with the Consortium, the operative asks them to terminate these dealings and suggests a quiet meeting later to discuss alternative employment. The PCs are now being watched by other operatives and if they continue dealing with the Consortium, they will be designated ‘containment required’.

 Speaking with the Police: If the PCs approach the police, they find themselves being questioned about their interest and involvement with the girls from the day before. By this stage, the PCs should have visited the police station. Weave the results of their chat at the station here. The police can offer no further insights based on their investigations of the park and do not answer questions regarding the people in the limo or coffee shop. They absolutely will not speak of the girl with the dog and advise PCs to steer well clear of all the other groups in, or near, the park. If PCs possess a business card from the chief investigator, the officer in the park suggests they start their investigations at the girls’ homes.

Babes in London: Act Two, Scene One (Don’t Leave Town)

SCENE ONE: DON’T LEAVE TOWN
This scene occurs before the PCs are able to investigate any further. You may need to alter the boxed text below to set the scene for the arrival of the police at the PC’s or PCs’ location. If the  PCs are sharing the same residence, you might want to have the police arrive on their doorstep in the morning. Tweak this encounter to suit.

If the PC has a background of: police, private investigator, or teacher and is at work:

The news was on your desk by the time you got to work, and the police were knocking on your door at five past nine that morning. The only nicety they offered was to speak to you privately. After that it was straight in with: “Where were you between eleven o’clock last night and five this morning?”

Not the most comforting phrase, given you don’t think you’ve done anything wrong.

 

Let the players play this out. If they’re police officers themselves, and prove to be reasonable, cooperative and persuasive, they may use Interaction to learn the following:

Interaction:

3                                The children have disappeared and they (the PCs) are prime suspects/witnesses as they
                     were one of the few people to see, and be seen with, the children just before the 
                     disappearance.

4                                As for TH 3 plus: The children were taken from their homes sometime between eleven 
                    p.m. and three a.m., and disappeared while under police guard. Also, some clothes and  
                    favorite toys have disappeared as well, and the PCs’ place, or places, of residence will 
                    be searched for these (voluntarily, or with a search warrant; PCs can choose).

5                                As for TH 3 and TH 4 plus: There are signs of a struggle at Anika’s house, and both 
                    Anika’s parents are missing. Strangely enough, none of the parents’ clothing or       
                    belongings are missing as well.

If they are reasonable, cooperative and persuasive, and belong to one of the other professions listed below, they can gain the above information at one TH higher. For example, the information listed at TH 5 above is obtained at TH 6.

General Notes: In addition, if the PC’s interaction test results in a TH 4, or higher, regardless of which of the listed professions they are, they are treated more like witnesses than suspects. At TH 4, they are also asked to help police in a minor way such as keeping ‘an ear to the ground’, or having ‘a quiet word’ to their colleagues/contacts, or ‘anyone who might have heard, sir’.

If PCs are cooperative, and of a criminal or homeless background: they are told of the children’s disappearance and ordered not to leave town. They are also asked to report anything they remember that might help with the case. If the PC wishes to obtain any of the information listed for police, teachers, or private investigators, their TH is three greater than the TH listed for PCs with a police background. The same applies to the TH listed in ‘General Notes’ above.

If PCs are cooperative and not one of the above professions: they are treated much the same as the homeless person or criminal, except with a lot more respect. Their TH targets are only two greater than those listed for PCs with a police background; the same applies to the TH listed in ‘General Notes’ above.

If PCs act aggressively and/or uncooperatively: (regardless of their background or profession), they will be treated like suspects, and the police dealing with them begin to privately consider that they did kidnap the children. Aggressive behaviour is also noted by LN7, and added to that organization’s notes on the character/s. Uncooperative PCs find themselves under constant surveillance until the girls are found. Stupendously uncooperative or aggressive PCs may find themselves imprisoned for 24 hours while the police try to find evidence to hold them for longer.

 If PCs are asked to help: they will not be given written authorization, but are given the card of the officer in charge of the investigation. This card can be used in situations where PCs face obstruction by police officials who are only doing their duty. When presented with this card, the police officer involved can call the officer in charge and gain permission for PCs to continue their own investigations.

 

After the Police Leave: allow the PCs to continue with their own investigations into the children. If the PCs do not wish to investigate the children’s whereabouts, have them attacked by the Servants of Set once more. If they defeat the Servants of Set, they find a scrap of paper with Anika Collins’ address on it. This should lead them to the Collins house (Scene 3), more evidence of the Setites’ activities, and hopefully, back into the adventure. If it doesn’t, you may have to improvise a different adventure for them. If the PCs do wish to investigate the children’s disappearance, they have the following choices:

Going to the Park: If the PCs go to the park, go to Scene 2.

Going to Anika Collins’ House: If the PCs go to Anika’s house, go to Scene 3. (NOTE: It may not be possible for PCs to investigate both Anika’s and Leyila’s homes in any one convention session so, while both have been included here, provisions have also been made in the running of Part 2 Little Girls Foundfor the investigation to be completed without one or the other being run.)
 
Going to Leyila Andrews’ House: If the PCs go to Leyila’s house, go to Scene 4. (NOTE: It may not be possible for PCs to investigate both Anika’s and Leyila’s homes in any one convention session so, while both have been included here, provisions have also been made in the running of Part 2 Little Girls Foundfor the investigation to be completed without one or the other being run.)

Contacting LN7: If the PCs contact LN7, they will be told to meet LN7 operatives at the park (Scene II).

Contacting the Gehenna Consortium: If the PCs contact the Gehenna Consortium, they will be told to meet Consortium operatives at the park (Scene II).

In addition, if the PCs have played The Fire Within, they may have the following options:

Contacting Emblae: If the PCs contact Emblae he is able to give them the following information about the Servants of Set: that they conduct their worship in scattered temples, that they seek to bind beings of power to their service through blood sacrifice, that the PCs defeated them long ago. As in The Fire Within, he relates this information as though speaking of a long ago dream. If the PCs press him for more information, he wanders off track, speaking to them about the wonders of Keheb and the intrigue to be found in its palaces. If asked where they should start looking, he rather acerbically tells the PCs that the best place to start is a place they already know to have links to the children.

Contacting the Fae of Haverhill: The fae know very little that can help the PCs. The Servants of Set did not invade their part of the forest, and the Seer of Cathach, although spoken of in awe, is nothing more than a being of legendary reputation to them.

Babes in London: Act Two—Preparation

The plot thickens considerably in Act Two as PCs search for more clues.

Preparation:
Scene I—Don’t Leave Town: The PCs learn of the children’s disappearance. The way they learn depends on the choices the PCs made in Act I. Make sure you are aware of the PC professions. Also make sure to plan what modifications, if any, you wish to make to the interactions described in the text.
Scene II—At the Park: Familiarise with the park’s layout, PC options, and with the NPC actions and motivations.
Scene III – Investigating Anika’s Home: Make sure the appropriate Player Handouts are available for Scene 3a. Ensure the PCs know what alternate form they will take (and if they will take on, at all), and what human disguises they will use for, the 6th-Age Albion (Scene 3b) and 4th-Age Keheb (Scene 3c). Basic lists of equipment and weapons might also be useful to have on hand.
Scene IV – Investigating Leyila’s Home:Make sure the appropriate Player Handouts are available for Scene 4a. PCs will need the same details they had for interacting with 4th-Age Keheb as they had in Scene 3c.

Babes in London: Rewards for Act One

Act One is done, and it’s time to hand out the rewards. Tomorrow, we'll move on to Act Two.
Suggested Rewards for Act One
Game Masters should use the following as a guideline. No doubt your players will take actions that should earn them other rewards that can be added to the baseline below. Make sure you note any of these as you go.
Adventure Points:
Scene 1
Nil
Scene 2
Defeating the Imps & Scorpions: 1 heritage AP
Scene 3
+1 humanity AP for participating in any 2 of the following sections:(i)                 Speaking with the Children;(ii)               Following the Children or Their Fathers Home;(iii)             Following the LN7 Operatives;(iv)             Following the Gehenna Consortium Mooks.
Modern Effects:
Friend of the Gehenna Consortium: The PC is part of a group has agreed to mount a 24-hour watch on Anika Collins and Leyila Andrews for the remunerative amount of £100/day. In addition to this remunerative amount, the PC is now under Gehenna Consortium investigation and surveillance and may request assistance in the area of research and or medical aid once per adventure module, or every two Acts;Friend of LN7: The PC is part of a group has agreed to mount a 24-hour watch on Anika Collins and Leyila Andrews for the remunerative amount of £100/day. In addition to this remunerative amount, the PC is now under LN7 investigation and surveillance and may request assistance in the area of research and or medical aid once per adventure module, or every two Acts. If the PC has not yet been designated containment required, his or her status is considered friendly and will receive information and occasional resources, provided such assistance cannot be traced back to LN7.

Mythic Effects: Nil
Meta-Game Effects:
 Entry to Designation: Containment Required: The PC has been designated containment required by LN7 and, unless actions are performed to change this designation, will be ‘contained’ as soon as LN7 is able to put the appropriate safety precautions in place.Entry to Sha’ir of Shadow & Sands: The PC has successfully defeated an attack of the sha’ir’s blue imp and scorpion minions and has started down the trail of remembering an old vendetta based in the lands of mythic Arabia. They have gained access to the adventure series titled Sha’ir of Shadow & Sands.

Possible Cover and Round 1 Edit Complete—Freeman’s Choice

Freeman’s Choice. This science-fiction-fantasy blend took me twenty years to complete, as I tried to do the ‘sensible’ thing, and ‘get a “real” job’. Now, it seems I am doing the sensible thing, and this novel will see the light of day, but should it see the light of day?If I were starting out in this crazy career, just this minute, in this new world of publishing options, it would have seen the light of day without twenty-six years of experience behind it. When it hits the shelves, it will be the best story it can be, and I can’t do better than that.Will the next one be better? Well, I’ve been writing for six more years since I finished this one, so there will be a difference. But will it be better or worse?I always work towards better, but every reader decides for themselves, and our opinions don’t always align. There are some stories I don’t particularly enjoy writing, or that I enjoy but I don’t think will find an audience, and the readers love them—and there are others I thought were good, but which the readers don’t seem to like as much. I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s not my place to judge, only to do the best I can to produce something you guys will hopefully enjoy, and then let you be the judge.Every story is different—the audience won’t be the same for each one.I have also started on the cover. So far, it stands at this, but I can’t help feeling all I've got is the background, and that I really need something front and centre. I just don't know what, but I have a couple more weeks to sort it out, so we'll see.

Babes in London: Act One, Babes in London: Act One, Scene Three (Part 2—LN7 & the Gehenna Consortium)

Yesterday, I gave you the options for direct interactions with the family and the park environs. Today, I’ll give you the parts for dealing with LN7 and the Gehenna Consortium.
Following the LN7 Operatives: as those operatives leave the family house means that the operatives stop at a local pub, bar, coffee-house, or restaurant, where PCs are able to approach and speak to them.
They look like ordinary Joes—her with denim jeans, heavy cotton t-shirt with a dolphin scene printed on the front, him in a work suit without the jacket. And they brought the dog. The dog is an Alsatian, some German Shepherd sort of thing, but fluffy and way too alert. The other patrons in here are giving it a wide berth. As you approach the happy grin on its face disappears, its jaws snap shut, and it becomes very still. As if aware the sudden tension in the air will draw more attention than he’d like, the guy in the half suit waves you over. “It’s about time you got here.” The people around you relax. The dog doesn’t. Not even the tip of its tail moves in greeting.
The LN7 operatives are as interested in the PCs as the PCs are in them. They won’t say who they work for, only that it’s an organization that’s concerned for the children’s welfare. They ask what the PCs are “poking around for”; “it’s a felony to harass kids, you know”. If the PCs are polite about it, and say they are looking for someone, but aren’t interested in the children, the agents leave it at that. If the PCs mention the Seer of Cathach, the agents become more interested and ask what connection the Seer has with the children. Neither of them laugh, if the PCs reveal they think one of the children is the reincarnated form of the Seer, but they immediately invite the party to accompany them to a more private venue to discuss the theory. If the party won’t go, the operatives leave anyway; there is no way they want to be discussing this kind of thing in front of Joe Public. If the PCs state they, too. are interested in the children’s welfare, then the operatives offer to pay each of them £100 a day to place a 24-hour watch on the families, starting in the morning. If the PCs accept the offer, they will be considered ‘Friends of LN7’. Whether or not they accept the offer, they will be watched by the group for some time to come.
Following the Gehenna Consortium Operatives: The Gehenna Consortium goons have noticed the PCs in the park. They are just as interested in the party as the party is in them. They lead any PC who follows them for several blocks, taking what at first appears to be a fairly direct route, then turn off into a side street lined by houses. Once the PCs follow them into the side street read, or paraphrase, the following:
 You’re about half-way down a suburban block of houses, when the car in front of you steps on the gas, and then pivots sideways to block the road. Behind you, a dark blue limousine with heavily-tinted windows glides out of a laneway and parks across the street. You’re trapped—unless someone in the houses on either side of the road decides to call the police, or come to your rescue. From the way curtains are suddenly closed, you’d guess the latter just ain’t about to happen.          As soon as you’ve decided this, the front doors of the four houses on either side of you open, car doors slam behind you, and the woman in the passenger’s seat of the car you’ve been following steps out into the street.
Give the players time to decide how their PCs react. If they decide to do anything violent, have them role initiative. At this point, the mooks all draw their glocks and begin approaching the car cautiously. Before action starts read, or paraphrase, the following:
 As you get ready to fight, the lady from the car calls out to you: “Excuse me, but didn’t you want a word?”
If the PCs respond positively to the suggestion, the mooks put their glocks away and the woman invites them to meet her ‘at Mandy’s Bar and Beans', a coffee shop and bar located in a not too distant shopping center. If they react hostilely, she gets back into the car and waits until the PCs are subdued and taken into one of the houses, or until the mooks are defeated— at which point she casts slow the living, and has her driver leave the scene.
GEHENNA CONSORTIUM MOOK (12)Era Modern; Race Natural being; APL 0; Init 6; Aspects Fire 4, Water 3, Air 2, Earth 2; Health 2m; <3 / 3+ / 6+ / 9+ / 12+ / 15+ / 18+ / 21+; Size/Reach 0/2 ft.; Armor 0; Stride 20 ft. (Moderate)Glock 22 22 ~ range 100 ft. ~ reload 1/3, Night Stick 5/M, Fist 3/L, Kick 4/M, Sequences Street Fighting, UnderhandedAgg F8 / W3 / A0 / E0 – Power + Power + Night Stick: Dmg +10, DazeNeut F4 / W3 / A2 / E2 – L Fist + R Fist + Ready + L Fist: Disadvantage (physical) 1Def F1 / W6 / A2 / E2 – Spin + Ready + Fist: Dmg +5, disadvantage (mental) 2Skills Athletics 3, Knowledge: London 2, Knowledge: Street 2, Melee 4, Quickness 3, Ranged 3, Senses 1, Stamina 3; Edges Aggressive 1 (Ranged), Daunting 2
ALICE MCINTYRE – GEHENNA CONSORTIUM SPOKESMANEra Modern; Race Natural being; APL 1; Init 8; Aspects Fire 2, Water 3, Air 4, Earth 3; Health 3m; <3 / 3+ / 6+ / 9+ / 12+ / 15+ / 18+ / 21+; Size/Reach 0 / 2; Armor 0; Karma 15; Stride 20 ft. (Moderate)Colt Python Elite 24 ~ range 150 ft. ~ reload 1/6 Fist 3/L, Kick 4/M, Sequences NilSkills Athletics 2, Casting 4, Interaction 4, Ka 2, Knowledge: Ancient Cultures 2, Knowledge: London 4, Knowledge: Occult 2, Knowledge: Religion 2, Melee 2, Quickness 2, Ranged 2, Senses 2, Trickery 3, Will 3; Edges Allies 3, Casting 2, Mentor 2, Network: Occult 2, Network: Academic World 2; Spells Rank 1 – Beguile, Buzz Kill (A); Rank 2 – Aegis (B), Slow the Living (D); Traits Supernatural heritage (fae)
The Gehenna Consortium does not know about the Seer of Cathach. All they know is that their own people have located a ‘being of power’ in the area of the park. They had begun to suspect that the source might be one of the two girls who visit the park, and that is why they dispatched Alice.They want to know what interests the PCs have in the children. If the PCs admit to being interested in the children’s welfare, Alice asks them if they’re willing to keep the girls under surveillance for the next few days. The Consortium is willing to pay £100/day per PC if the group can keep a 24 hour watch on the girls starting from the following morning.If the PCs mention anything to do with their search for the Seer of Cathach, Alice can promise them access to research resources in the future to help find the seer. (She, of course, carries this news back to her masters at the Consortium, who are very interested in finding out who the Seer is and, more importantly, what her connection to the PCs might be.) No matter how this encounter turns out, the Consortium diverts a minor portion of its vast array of resources into keeping watch on the PCs and discovering who they really are. If the PCs accept the mission of watching over the girls and their families, they become known as ‘Friends of the Gehenna Consortium’.