C.M. Simpson's Blog, page 204
August 17, 2013
Progress Report: Week 3 August 2013
Another long week, but I am starting to find my feet once more. Projects are starting to settle. Sales figures have come in, showing where the best areas are to concentrate on. The point raised about how breaking out several author names at once increases time to break out is true, as is the point about some genres selling much more strongly than others. While I am still a long way from where I need to be, sales aren’t too bad for this stage of my career, and I’m learning what I need to focus on. Let’s see where we are at Christmas.
Overview
New words produced: 7,232;Old words revised: 4,332;Works completed: 0;Works revised: 0 (20 poems revised, but incorporated into a larger work);Covers created: 0 (1-3 variations);Works published: 0 (2-3 release platforms);Works submitted: 1 (complete work-up of proposal from last week);Competitions Entered: 0
Tier 2 Tasks
RomNov1A—Country Rush (was Taylor’s Story): Added 1,000 words
Extra TasksAnnual12: Added 2,382 wordsAnnual13: Added 1,592 wordsPublishing Tasks
Created 4 blog posts for this blog;Created 5 blog posts for the C.M. Simpson Publishing blog;Updated sales records and identified areas of focus.
Traditional Tasks
RPGSupplement14B: added 3,000 words, revised, trimmed, formatted and submitted.RPGSupplement14B: Signed contract and returned it to publisher.
New ArrivalsOlder work rediscovered and assigned a number:
Poem107—Wires in the AirPoem108—Little Boy, Lion Cub, LatePoem109—New Train in Blue and GoldPoem110—Who Does That Poet Think She Is?Poem111—Train DriversPoem113—Fears for my TransportationPoem114—They ComePoem115—Coffee Painted LadyPoem116—NightfallPoem117—Burning TogetherPoem118—Souls in the SunPoem119—Moonlit WorldsPoem120—Roundabout RoundPoem121—Snatching Time for GriefPoem122—An Insubstantial WreathPoem123—The Autumn SongPoem124—Tears to the EndPoem125—Diamonds and TearsPoem126—What is a WriterPoem127—Daun Dibebankan
August 16, 2013
Progress Report: Week 2 August 2013
It’s late, but it’s here. Watch for the next post. In spite of a stressful week at the day job, I am pleased to say I achieved the following:OverviewNew words produced: 4,943Old words revised: 12,046Works completed: 0 (68 poems complete, but incorporated into larger work);Works revised: 0 (60 poems revised, but incorporated into larger work);Covers created: 0 (1-3 variations)Works published: 0 (2-3 release platforms)Works submitted: 5Competitions Entered: 0Tier 1 TasksRevised SciFanNovel1A Chapters 22-39, adding 1,581 wordsExtra TasksPublishing Tasks
Created 3 blog posts for this blog;Created 2 blog posts for the C.M. Simpson Publishing blog;Posted 2 guest blogs on behalf of C.M. Simpson Publishing
‘Traditional’ Writing Tasks
Created 5 outlines for writing presentationsSubmitted 5 proposals for writing presentations
New ArrivalsThe following ideas arrived this week:
Presentations1A-D: to do with writing roleplayingPresentation2A: to do with writing genre fictionPresentation3A: to do with writing for young peoplePoem106—In the Dragon’s Shadow: about living… and dragons… and escapes.
August 15, 2013
Adventure Edition: Fireborn - Babes in London: Little Girls Lost, Act Two, Preparation and Scene 1
You can find the introduction to the Babes in London adventure sequence HERE, the background to Act One HERE, the Overview for Act One HERE., Act One Scenes 1-2 HERE and Act One Scene 3A HERE.
To play or run this game you will need the following:
PLAYERS: Fireborn Player's Handbook ;
GAME MASTERS: Fireborn Gamemaster's Handbook ;
This is a piece of fan fiction. It is NOT endorsed or acknowledged by Fantasy Flight Games; it is IN NO WAY official; it DOES NOT indicate any form of relationship between myself and Fantasy Flight Games; and I DO NOT CLAIM any of the setting specific material or setting specific concepts as my own.
PLAYERS SHOULD NOT READ BEYOND THIS POINT
A CT T WO: T HE C HILDREN A RE M ISSING
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 – The Park: NilScene III – Investigating Anika’s Home:Make sure the appropriate Player Handouts are at hand for Scene 3a. Have mythic characters prepared for PCs, or have PCs prepare human disguises, for the 6th-Age Albion (Scene 3b) and 4th-Age Keheb (Scene 3c). These can be basic sets of skills and descriptions that the players can later fill out, or they can be based on the players’ draconic characters if so required.Scene IV – Investigating Leyila’s Home:Make sure the appropriate Player Handouts are at hand for Scene 4a. PCs will need the same 4th-Age Keheb characters as they had in Scene 3c.
S CENE O NE: D ON’T L EAVE T OWN This scene occurs the next morning, after PCs have started their day. If they intend to go to the children’s houses today, it is best if you modify the scene so that this encounter occurs before they leave wherever they spent the night.
If the PC has a background of: police, private investigator, or teacher:
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 waited for, 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 That the children have disappeared and that they (the PCs) are prime suspects/witnesses as they were one of the few people to be seen near 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 that they disappeared while under police guard. 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 here, they can gain the above information at one TH higher. For example, the information listed at TH 5 above is obtained at TH 6, if they are from one of the professions below.
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 and/or contacts, ‘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 told 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 behavior 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 Found for the investigation to be completed in that session.)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 Found for the investigation to be completed in that session.)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.
END OF ACT TWO, SCENE ONE
Next week I will post Act Two, Scene Two.
To play or run this game you will need the following:
PLAYERS: Fireborn Player's Handbook ;
GAME MASTERS: Fireborn Gamemaster's Handbook ;
This is a piece of fan fiction. It is NOT endorsed or acknowledged by Fantasy Flight Games; it is IN NO WAY official; it DOES NOT indicate any form of relationship between myself and Fantasy Flight Games; and I DO NOT CLAIM any of the setting specific material or setting specific concepts as my own.
PLAYERS SHOULD NOT READ BEYOND THIS POINT
A CT T WO: T HE C HILDREN A RE M ISSING
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 – The Park: NilScene III – Investigating Anika’s Home:Make sure the appropriate Player Handouts are at hand for Scene 3a. Have mythic characters prepared for PCs, or have PCs prepare human disguises, for the 6th-Age Albion (Scene 3b) and 4th-Age Keheb (Scene 3c). These can be basic sets of skills and descriptions that the players can later fill out, or they can be based on the players’ draconic characters if so required.Scene IV – Investigating Leyila’s Home:Make sure the appropriate Player Handouts are at hand for Scene 4a. PCs will need the same 4th-Age Keheb characters as they had in Scene 3c.
S CENE O NE: D ON’T L EAVE T OWN This scene occurs the next morning, after PCs have started their day. If they intend to go to the children’s houses today, it is best if you modify the scene so that this encounter occurs before they leave wherever they spent the night.
If the PC has a background of: police, private investigator, or teacher:
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 waited for, 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 That the children have disappeared and that they (the PCs) are prime suspects/witnesses as they were one of the few people to be seen near 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 that they disappeared while under police guard. 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 here, they can gain the above information at one TH higher. For example, the information listed at TH 5 above is obtained at TH 6, if they are from one of the professions below.
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 and/or contacts, ‘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 told 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 behavior 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 Found for the investigation to be completed in that session.)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 Found for the investigation to be completed in that session.)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.
END OF ACT TWO, SCENE ONE
Next week I will post Act Two, Scene Two.
August 13, 2013
Australian Birds: Yellow-rumped thornbill (Acanthiza chrysorrhoa)
This is a yellow-rumped thornbill. He was off hunting 'little things' in the grass. This one was operating on his own, but I have since seen them in small flocks, all hopping about on the grass together.
At first it isn't easy to see why he's called 'yellow-rumped'.
And then it becomes apparent.
He was pretty thorough in his search for food.
But he kept a close eye on me and my camera. Here we can see the faint 'eyebrow' of lighter color, and a darker streak behind the eye.
He was a joy to watch,
but like so many of the other tiny birds who visit my garden, he didn't sit still, or stay long.
At first it isn't easy to see why he's called 'yellow-rumped'.
And then it becomes apparent.
He was pretty thorough in his search for food.
But he kept a close eye on me and my camera. Here we can see the faint 'eyebrow' of lighter color, and a darker streak behind the eye.
He was a joy to watch,
but like so many of the other tiny birds who visit my garden, he didn't sit still, or stay long.
August 9, 2013
Adventure Edition: Fireborn - Babes in London: Little Girls Lost, Act One Rewards
You can find the introduction to the Babes in London adventure sequence HERE, the background to Act One HERE, the Overview for Act One HERE., Act One Scenes 1-2 HERE and Act One Scene 3 HERE.
To play or run this game you will need the following:
PLAYERS: Fireborn Player's Handbook ;
GAME MASTERS: Fireborn Gamemaster's Handbook ;
This is a piece of fan fiction. It is NOT endorsed or acknowledged by Fantasy Flight Games; it is IN NO WAY official; it DOES NOT indicate any form of relationship between myself and Fantasy Flight Games; and I DO NOT CLAIM any of the setting specific material or setting specific concepts as my own.
PLAYERS SHOULD NOT READ BEYOND THIS POINT
REWARDS FOR ACT I
Adventure Points:
Scene 1
Nil
Scene 2
Defeating the Imps & Scorpions: 1 heritage AP
Scene 3Participating 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.+1 humanity AP.
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 friendlyand 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.
END OF ACT ONE REWARDS
Next week, I will post the Act Two, Scene 1 of Little Girls Lost .
To play or run this game you will need the following:
PLAYERS: Fireborn Player's Handbook ;
GAME MASTERS: Fireborn Gamemaster's Handbook ;
This is a piece of fan fiction. It is NOT endorsed or acknowledged by Fantasy Flight Games; it is IN NO WAY official; it DOES NOT indicate any form of relationship between myself and Fantasy Flight Games; and I DO NOT CLAIM any of the setting specific material or setting specific concepts as my own.
PLAYERS SHOULD NOT READ BEYOND THIS POINT
REWARDS FOR ACT I
Adventure Points:
Scene 1
Nil
Scene 2
Defeating the Imps & Scorpions: 1 heritage AP
Scene 3Participating 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.+1 humanity AP.
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 friendlyand 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.
END OF ACT ONE REWARDS
Next week, I will post the Act Two, Scene 1 of Little Girls Lost .
August 6, 2013
Australian Birds: the Scarlet Robin (Petroica boodang)
Another of my challenges was this tiny robin. I spend some debating exactly what kind of red-breasted robin he was, but I finally went with Petroica boodang. If it's one of the others, please let me know. This little guy was extremely hard to photograph.
I first saw him sitting on my back fence. He kept swooping off it, and then coming back to perch. I got a pretty good look at him, and he didn't seem to mind me watching him.
He even turned his head so we could see that distinctive white crown above his brow.
A week later, he moved to the cherry or plum tree out back. This time I got to take pictures of his front view. I have never seen a little bird so red!
This time, he wasn't so sure about the camera. Camera's are noisy. This time, he took a good look at me.
He kept flying down to the grass, probably in pursuit of a slater or millipede. This is one shot of him taking off from the branch. It's the only clear shot I got.
He moved around the tree a bit...
...but finally settled in the crook of some very thin branches. I let him be.
I first saw him sitting on my back fence. He kept swooping off it, and then coming back to perch. I got a pretty good look at him, and he didn't seem to mind me watching him.
He even turned his head so we could see that distinctive white crown above his brow.
A week later, he moved to the cherry or plum tree out back. This time I got to take pictures of his front view. I have never seen a little bird so red!
This time, he wasn't so sure about the camera. Camera's are noisy. This time, he took a good look at me.
He kept flying down to the grass, probably in pursuit of a slater or millipede. This is one shot of him taking off from the branch. It's the only clear shot I got.
He moved around the tree a bit...
...but finally settled in the crook of some very thin branches. I let him be.
August 3, 2013
Progress Report: Week 1 August 2013
Not a bad week, this week. The day job is progressing well, the study not-so-well, the family is well, I’ve managed to roleplay, and writing progress is fair. There should be some releases this month, or early next.
OverviewNew words produced: 13,420Old words revised: 13,432Works completed: 0 (68 poems complete, but incorporated into larger work);Works revised: 0 (60 poems revised, but incorporated into larger work);Covers created: 0 (1-3 variations)Works published: 0 (2-3 release platforms)Works submitted: 2Competitions Entered: 0Tier 1 Tasks
Revised Chapters 16-21 SciFanNovel1A
Extra Tasks
Added 3,700 words to Annual12Added 8,300 words to Annual13Added 2,700 words to Annual14Added 2,800 words to RPGSupplement13AAdded 3,700 words to RPGSupplement13BAdded 1,700 words to RPGSupplement13C-G
Publishing Tasks
Created 18 blog posts for this blog;Created 3 blog posts for the C.M. Simpson Publishing blog;
Traditional Publishing Tasks
Submitted 7 preliminary ideas to a publisher.Submitted 2 pitches related to the above ideas at the publisher’s request.
Photography Tasks
Uploaded 96 images to Dreamstime for approval.
New ArrivalsThe following ideas arrived this week:
Anthologies 36A-G: romance short story anthologiesAnthology 37A: romance short storiesPoems103-105: for Annual13RPGSupplements14A-G: idea pitches for a publisher.
The following are older ideas, given a number:
Poem73 (The Orc’s Harem): linked to Annual13.Poem74 (On a Melbourne Tram):linked to Annual13.Poem75 (Children at the End of the Day): linked to Annual13 . Poem76 (Frustration, Life and Poetry): linked to Annual13 . Poem77 (Word Play): linked to Annual13 . Poem78 (The Veiled Moon): linked to Annual13.Poem79 (Two Worlds Collide): linked to Annual13 . Poem80 (Night Predators):linked to Annual13 . Poem81 (Many Ways of Dying): linked to Annual13 . Poem82 (Rest, my Warrior. Sleep): linked to Annual13 . Poem83 (FleeNoMore): linked to Annual13.Poem84 (Dancers in the Dark): linked to Annual13 . Poem85 (And the Words Keep Coming): linked to Annual13.Poem86 (Terror in the School Rooms): linked to Annual13 . Poem87 (Sleep-Creeping Poems): linked to Annual13 . Poem88 (Toes): linked to Annual13 . Poem89 (Writing and the Writer): linked to Annual13 . Poem90 (Challenges, Change and Coping with the world): linked to Annual13 . Poem91 (Learning the Burning Books: A Poem for Two Voices): linked to Annual13 . Poem92 (The Sprained Ankle): linked to Annual13 . Poem93 (Football Train): linked to Annual13 . Poem94 (See the Bad Stuff Happen): linked to Annual13 . Poem95 (The Children and the Tram): linked to Annual13 . Poem96 (When the Skies Weep): linked to Annual13.Poem97 (Hanging the Clothes at Night): linked to Annual13.Poem98 (The Rich Man and the Witch Man): linked to Annual13.Poem99 (Between Christmas and New Year): linked to Annual13.Poem100 (Who with the Hero Be?): linked to Annual13.Poem101 (Inside my Head): linked to Annual13.Poem102 (My Love Lies Beside Me): linked to Annual13.
August 1, 2013
Adventure Edition: Fireborn - Babes in London:Little Girls Lost - Act One, Scene 3A
You can find the introduction to the Babes in London adventure sequence HERE, the background to Act One HERE, the Overview for Act One HERE., and Act One Scenes 1-2 HERE.
To play or run this game you will need the following:
PLAYERS: Fireborn Player's Handbook ;
GAME MASTERS: Fireborn Gamemaster's Handbook ; Fireborn Player's Handbook ;
This is a piece of fan fiction. It is NOT endorsed or acknowledged by Fantasy Flight Games; it is IN NO WAY official; it DOES NOT indicate any form of relationship between myself and Fantasy Flight Games; and I DO NOT CLAIM any of the setting specific material or setting specific concepts as my own.
PLAYERS SHOULD NOT READ BEYOND THIS POINT
SCENE THREE: NOT SO HAPPY FAMILIES You glance towards an unsteady shimmer in the air, thinking perhaps the Seer has reappeared. Instead you see that the great elms have been replaced by their smaller, modern-day cousins. The butcher’s shop is back, and so is the green grocers. Back also are the two little girls. They are no longer looking at you, however, but towards a cluster of adults striding across the playground towards them. Neither of them seems alarmed. “Anika! Where have you been? You were supposed to come straight home!” “Leyila! You were supposed to meet us at the library after school!” “Mother! We were just…” “I needed to talk to Leyila, mum. It was important.”
This is the sort of conversation that dominates the interactions between the parents and the children for the next few minutes as the parents shepherd the children back to the cars. Give the PCs an opportunity to do something now.
Notes for New Characters:At this point the PCs just becoming aware of their true identities. Have the players keep the Albion descriptions so that they may later incorporate them into their characters’ background. At the end of the battle, alter the end of Scene III to read: Just before she goes to meet her mother, the taller, dark-haired girl, raises blue eyes in your direction: “Go back to your dreaming,” she says. “Your reality is there.” The smaller child, with hair like gold flame glances at her in surprise: “How can they not know?” she asks, her small voice filled with scorn. “Isn’t it obvious?” Before you can even think of approaching them, their mothers hurry them towards two different cars. Their words to you, however, have drawn the attention of their fathers, and the two heavily-built men are striding directly towards you. The frowns on their faces aren’t friendly.
Run the encounter according to the section: ‘Speaking with the Children’.
ALL Characters:
Speaking with the Children: means that the PCs are intercepted by the fathers while the mothers continue to move the children towards the car. In order to negotiate the parents’ natural suspicions and antagonism towards strangers the PCs need to make an Interaction TH of 4 (due the pedophile incident of the previous year), modified by the player’s roleplaying of the encounter. At first the fathers are interested only in making the PCs ‘go away’, but then Leyila’s father wants to know what the PCs were doing ‘anywhere near the girls’ in the first place. Answers mentioning the Seer of Cathach are met with the half-joking response of: “Well, you’re a little out of your way then, aren’t you?” and “What do you want to see her for?”. The fathers have no idea who the Seer might be and certainly do not know the true identities of their daughters. The mothers drive off once the girls are in the cars, going in opposite directions. The nearest the PCs come to the girls at this point is to arrange an interview for the following day – but not on the grounds that they want to speak to the Seer of Cathach! Plausible reasons for interviewing the girls include a police investigation, private investigator seeking leads, journalist writing an article on the local school or library, teacher thinking of coming to teach at the local school etc. Any reason given must be backed up with some form of proof – professional id such as a Press pass, police badge, Teacher’s Union card will suffice here as will anything similar. Either of the fathers might make mention of the ‘incident’ the year before if the right conversational circumstances occur. Once interactions with the fathers are over, the men either walk over to the cars, or walk the three or four blocks to their homes.Using Ka on the Children: PCs are considered to have had a relatively close connection with Anika and Leyila in their past lives – as the flashbacks will reveal. This grants uses of the Ka skill on either of the girls a -3 TH modifier. (The connection wasn’t close enough for the full -5 TH modifier.) A successful Ka check (TH 2 due to the modifier) on Anika reveals the horse-riding part of her nature, and her role as a defender but not her identity as an Erebean Unicorn Maid. A similar check against Leyila reveals the dancing and Kehebite mysticism but not her identity as a Kehebite temple dancer.Knowledge: Law: TH 3 means that the PC recognizes the children from the news, and has a basic knowledge of their role in the break-up of the pedophile ring of the year before. They may even know of the strange circumstances in which the children were rescued (TH 4). Note: PCs with a cop background gain a -2 modifier to the TH#; those with private investigator or lawyer backgrounds gain a -1 modifier to the TH#.Knowledge: London: TH 4 means that the PC recognizes the children from the news of the year before. Those who followed the news closely may even have a basic knowledge of, the break up of the pedophile ring (TH 5) and the strange circumstances in which the children were rescued (TH 6). Note: PCs with a journalist background gain a -2 modifier to the TH#.Knowledge: Street: TH 4 means that the PC recognizes the children from, and has a basic knowledge of, the break-up of the pedophile ring of the year before. They may even know of the strange circumstances in which the children were rescued (TH 5). Taking Note of the Area: means that the PC notices the ‘shopping precinct’ and may take note of some ‘shady characters’ (Air – Senses: TH 4 to note one of the following: the LN7 operative reading a paper in the small coffee shop that doubles as a bakery opposite the park; the LN7 operative walking her dog – except that she seems scared of the dog, a big German Shepherd; or the two men sitting in the car in the street that borders the other side of the park looking in their London street directory – they’ve been sitting there since the PCs arrived in the park). Following the Children or their Fathers Home: gives the PCs a chance to further note the involvement of LN7 and Gehenna operatives. If they are actively looking for anyone else who might be interested in the children or their families, they might notice one of the above LN7 operatives (Coffee Shop Guy and Dog Girl) also traveling in the same direction they are (TH 3). In addition to this, the car in which the two men were studying their London street directory, also follows the family cars when they pull away (TH 3). As they get closer to the house, the Gehenna Consortium car continues driving and the LN7 operative stops at a non-descript blue sedan and gets in. Before it can be approached, the car drives away. Newspaper Guy follows the Collins family, while Dog Girl follows the Andrews family. The Gehenna Consortium operatives just happen to follow whichever of the families the PCs are tailing. On arrival at the Collins home, the PCs have a small chance of spotting the Servants of Set preparing for their attack (TH 6). If, for whatever reason, the PCs settle down to watch either of the families overnight, they later see the arrival of two police cars. If they remain, they are approached by four, highly suspicious police officers who ask them to move on. Non-compliance means that they are arrested and held overnight in the cells. Compliance means that they are openly followed and ‘observed’ overnight. The up side of this latter development is that they are cleared of any suspicion in the initial disappearance of the children and learn of it sooner. 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. Here PCs are able to approach and speak to the operatives. If they do so, read the following:
They look like ordinary Joes – denim jeans, heavy cotton t-shirt with a dolphin scene printed on the front, work suit without the jacket. And they brought the dog. The dog is an Alsation, 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 as it 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 the connection is with the children. Neither of them laugh if the PCs reveal that they think one of the children is the reincarnated form of the Seer, but they immediately invite the party 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 that 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 the block 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 that 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 as the woman calls out. Read:
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 she invites them to meet her in a coffee shop 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) Combat Glock 22 22 ~ range 100 ft. ~ reload 1/3, Night Stick 5/M, Fist 3/L, Kick 4/M, Sequences Street Fighting, Underhanded
Agg 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) 2
Abilities Skills 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) Combat Colt Python Elite 24 ~ range 150 ft. ~ reload 1/6 Fist 3/L, Kick 4/M, Sequences Nil Abilities Skills 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’.
END OF ACT ONE, SCENE3
Next week, I will post the Act One Rewards of Little Girls Lost .
To play or run this game you will need the following:
PLAYERS: Fireborn Player's Handbook ;
GAME MASTERS: Fireborn Gamemaster's Handbook ; Fireborn Player's Handbook ;
This is a piece of fan fiction. It is NOT endorsed or acknowledged by Fantasy Flight Games; it is IN NO WAY official; it DOES NOT indicate any form of relationship between myself and Fantasy Flight Games; and I DO NOT CLAIM any of the setting specific material or setting specific concepts as my own.
PLAYERS SHOULD NOT READ BEYOND THIS POINT
SCENE THREE: NOT SO HAPPY FAMILIES You glance towards an unsteady shimmer in the air, thinking perhaps the Seer has reappeared. Instead you see that the great elms have been replaced by their smaller, modern-day cousins. The butcher’s shop is back, and so is the green grocers. Back also are the two little girls. They are no longer looking at you, however, but towards a cluster of adults striding across the playground towards them. Neither of them seems alarmed. “Anika! Where have you been? You were supposed to come straight home!” “Leyila! You were supposed to meet us at the library after school!” “Mother! We were just…” “I needed to talk to Leyila, mum. It was important.”
This is the sort of conversation that dominates the interactions between the parents and the children for the next few minutes as the parents shepherd the children back to the cars. Give the PCs an opportunity to do something now.
Notes for New Characters:At this point the PCs just becoming aware of their true identities. Have the players keep the Albion descriptions so that they may later incorporate them into their characters’ background. At the end of the battle, alter the end of Scene III to read: Just before she goes to meet her mother, the taller, dark-haired girl, raises blue eyes in your direction: “Go back to your dreaming,” she says. “Your reality is there.” The smaller child, with hair like gold flame glances at her in surprise: “How can they not know?” she asks, her small voice filled with scorn. “Isn’t it obvious?” Before you can even think of approaching them, their mothers hurry them towards two different cars. Their words to you, however, have drawn the attention of their fathers, and the two heavily-built men are striding directly towards you. The frowns on their faces aren’t friendly.
Run the encounter according to the section: ‘Speaking with the Children’.
ALL Characters:
Speaking with the Children: means that the PCs are intercepted by the fathers while the mothers continue to move the children towards the car. In order to negotiate the parents’ natural suspicions and antagonism towards strangers the PCs need to make an Interaction TH of 4 (due the pedophile incident of the previous year), modified by the player’s roleplaying of the encounter. At first the fathers are interested only in making the PCs ‘go away’, but then Leyila’s father wants to know what the PCs were doing ‘anywhere near the girls’ in the first place. Answers mentioning the Seer of Cathach are met with the half-joking response of: “Well, you’re a little out of your way then, aren’t you?” and “What do you want to see her for?”. The fathers have no idea who the Seer might be and certainly do not know the true identities of their daughters. The mothers drive off once the girls are in the cars, going in opposite directions. The nearest the PCs come to the girls at this point is to arrange an interview for the following day – but not on the grounds that they want to speak to the Seer of Cathach! Plausible reasons for interviewing the girls include a police investigation, private investigator seeking leads, journalist writing an article on the local school or library, teacher thinking of coming to teach at the local school etc. Any reason given must be backed up with some form of proof – professional id such as a Press pass, police badge, Teacher’s Union card will suffice here as will anything similar. Either of the fathers might make mention of the ‘incident’ the year before if the right conversational circumstances occur. Once interactions with the fathers are over, the men either walk over to the cars, or walk the three or four blocks to their homes.Using Ka on the Children: PCs are considered to have had a relatively close connection with Anika and Leyila in their past lives – as the flashbacks will reveal. This grants uses of the Ka skill on either of the girls a -3 TH modifier. (The connection wasn’t close enough for the full -5 TH modifier.) A successful Ka check (TH 2 due to the modifier) on Anika reveals the horse-riding part of her nature, and her role as a defender but not her identity as an Erebean Unicorn Maid. A similar check against Leyila reveals the dancing and Kehebite mysticism but not her identity as a Kehebite temple dancer.Knowledge: Law: TH 3 means that the PC recognizes the children from the news, and has a basic knowledge of their role in the break-up of the pedophile ring of the year before. They may even know of the strange circumstances in which the children were rescued (TH 4). Note: PCs with a cop background gain a -2 modifier to the TH#; those with private investigator or lawyer backgrounds gain a -1 modifier to the TH#.Knowledge: London: TH 4 means that the PC recognizes the children from the news of the year before. Those who followed the news closely may even have a basic knowledge of, the break up of the pedophile ring (TH 5) and the strange circumstances in which the children were rescued (TH 6). Note: PCs with a journalist background gain a -2 modifier to the TH#.Knowledge: Street: TH 4 means that the PC recognizes the children from, and has a basic knowledge of, the break-up of the pedophile ring of the year before. They may even know of the strange circumstances in which the children were rescued (TH 5). Taking Note of the Area: means that the PC notices the ‘shopping precinct’ and may take note of some ‘shady characters’ (Air – Senses: TH 4 to note one of the following: the LN7 operative reading a paper in the small coffee shop that doubles as a bakery opposite the park; the LN7 operative walking her dog – except that she seems scared of the dog, a big German Shepherd; or the two men sitting in the car in the street that borders the other side of the park looking in their London street directory – they’ve been sitting there since the PCs arrived in the park). Following the Children or their Fathers Home: gives the PCs a chance to further note the involvement of LN7 and Gehenna operatives. If they are actively looking for anyone else who might be interested in the children or their families, they might notice one of the above LN7 operatives (Coffee Shop Guy and Dog Girl) also traveling in the same direction they are (TH 3). In addition to this, the car in which the two men were studying their London street directory, also follows the family cars when they pull away (TH 3). As they get closer to the house, the Gehenna Consortium car continues driving and the LN7 operative stops at a non-descript blue sedan and gets in. Before it can be approached, the car drives away. Newspaper Guy follows the Collins family, while Dog Girl follows the Andrews family. The Gehenna Consortium operatives just happen to follow whichever of the families the PCs are tailing. On arrival at the Collins home, the PCs have a small chance of spotting the Servants of Set preparing for their attack (TH 6). If, for whatever reason, the PCs settle down to watch either of the families overnight, they later see the arrival of two police cars. If they remain, they are approached by four, highly suspicious police officers who ask them to move on. Non-compliance means that they are arrested and held overnight in the cells. Compliance means that they are openly followed and ‘observed’ overnight. The up side of this latter development is that they are cleared of any suspicion in the initial disappearance of the children and learn of it sooner. 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. Here PCs are able to approach and speak to the operatives. If they do so, read the following:
They look like ordinary Joes – denim jeans, heavy cotton t-shirt with a dolphin scene printed on the front, work suit without the jacket. And they brought the dog. The dog is an Alsation, 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 as it 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 the connection is with the children. Neither of them laugh if the PCs reveal that they think one of the children is the reincarnated form of the Seer, but they immediately invite the party 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 that 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 the block 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 that 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 as the woman calls out. Read:
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 she invites them to meet her in a coffee shop 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) Combat Glock 22 22 ~ range 100 ft. ~ reload 1/3, Night Stick 5/M, Fist 3/L, Kick 4/M, Sequences Street Fighting, Underhanded
Agg 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) 2
Abilities Skills 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) Combat Colt Python Elite 24 ~ range 150 ft. ~ reload 1/6 Fist 3/L, Kick 4/M, Sequences Nil Abilities Skills 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’.
END OF ACT ONE, SCENE3
Next week, I will post the Act One Rewards of Little Girls Lost .
July 30, 2013
Australian Birds: Silver-Eyes (Zostraps lateralis)
These little guys spent several weekends in cahoots with some tiny thornbills and a scarlet robin, tantalising me. It was like they dared me to come out and try to take their picture. Well, I met their dare, and they set me even more challenges for the future.
The first thing you'll notice about these little guys is the fact they have a distinctive white ring around their eyes.
They also have a cute bit of yellow on their head and face, and they're very alert.
I think they watched me almost as much as I watched them, but it didn't stop them from going about their everyday birdy business.
Camera? Schwamera. When you gotta scratch, you just gotta scratch.
They like bushes with dense foliage. Since they eat nectar, berries and fruit, I think they were checking this one out for a nest.
And this little guy was just trying to warm up on a cold winter's day.
The first thing you'll notice about these little guys is the fact they have a distinctive white ring around their eyes.
They also have a cute bit of yellow on their head and face, and they're very alert.
I think they watched me almost as much as I watched them, but it didn't stop them from going about their everyday birdy business.
Camera? Schwamera. When you gotta scratch, you just gotta scratch.
They like bushes with dense foliage. Since they eat nectar, berries and fruit, I think they were checking this one out for a nest.
And this little guy was just trying to warm up on a cold winter's day.
July 29, 2013
Books Read in July 2013
Have you ever been really enjoying one thing, when you got a craving for another? Well, that's what happened this month when, in the middle of reading the Dick Francis novels I own, I had a sudden craving for Ann Aguirre's gritty space adventure science fiction. And then, I couldn't help but think I might need to read some of Mike Shepherd's naval science fiction. Choices, choices, choices. Here's what I ended up reading this month:
