Sabotage the Burning Spices' warehouse

Seekers Beyond the Shroud

Play report of Lana Vanne’s ascension to the occult campaign using Seekers Beyond The Shroud.

Lana Vanne

Sometimes I forget her name and call her Lena.

Background: bookworn.

Equipment: pistol (2d10 + 10), knife (1d10 + 15), Omphalo’s Embrace (+25 damage), 3x Bandages.

House rules: I start with 3 bandages because three characters have previously died playing Seekers Beyond the Shroud.

Relevant skills for this writeup: Pistols (50), One-handed melee (50), Parry (66), Perception (36), Technology (0), Persuasion (50).

Monday, new moon - Day 1 at the Omphalos

Lana starts her day after being birthed to the occult world visiting the Omphalos. Although she has been told that Omphalos is the meeting point for London’s occult magic practitioners, it seems a bit disappointing; some of the stores are closed already, even if it is early in the morning, while other vendors show half empty shelves of goods. Daily event: low stock

She starts walking towards the Order’s Hall, where the orders have their rooms and missions are requested. As she walks a shabby looking young man stumbles upon her, apologises and keeps his way. Lana realises that her wallet is gone, but well, the most valuable thing about it is the wallet itself, so she doesn’t care. Random encounter: pickpocket

Finally, at the Order’s Hall she sees representatives of the Causa Cientiae and the Kadmonites talking in small groups. Lana approaches to a woman of the Causa Cientiae, and tells her what she is looking for a job. Orders: Causa Cientiae, Kadmonites

I prefer the level-1 talent that you can get with Causa Cientiae, so let’s grind for that!

The Causa Cientiae adept tells her that they are having difficulties selling their stock of alchemical supplies due to a new competitor appearing on the market and that the Order would be very happy if 3 stocks of alchemical supplies from the rival’s warehouse where to mysteriously disappear. Mission: sabotage

Lana thanks the woman accepts the mission, she is given the location of the warehouse, property of Burning Spices Limited, near the Isle of Dogs.

Generating the location

The mission takes place in an Abandoned Complex and has the following locations:

  • A - Main entrance
  • B - Hallway x 8
  • C - Warehouse
  • D - Office/Room x 10
  • E - Recreation room
  • F - Parking loot

Ground floor

There are two big sliding doors where the lorries unload the spices (and alchemical ingredients). The stairs to the second floor are outside the warehouse itself, and lead to the administrative area.

First and second floors

I had been reading things in US English just before playing this session, so I was still soaked in US English when making these blueprints (such a nice word for my drawings) and that’s why they’re labelled 2nd floor and 3rd floor. During this post I switch to the European standard and floors start at the ground level and then goes the first floor. Bear it with me.

At the Parking lot

Yes, you enter the warehouse by the parking loot because we’re sneaking in.

There aren’t any enemies on sight but an alarm sounds and two Daevas aggressively close to Lana.

Lana wins the engaging round and shots her pistol to the first Daeva, the shock from receiving so much damage leaves it stunned. After some very successful parry-s Lana manages to get rid of the first Daeva. The second one uses Vril Choke and in the next turn deals more damage to Lana. But at the end she prevails.

A close inspection of the parking lot reveals some alchemical supplies that Lana will able to use when she gets to learn alchemy and a Salamander’s Gift.

Moreover, hidden behind two cars, there is an alchemy stash, one of the three that she had to sabotage. She takes the contents to throw them into the Thames afterwards and tries to patch up her wounds a little bit, with no success.

At the Burning Spices’ Warehouse - Ground floor

The warehouse is big and the air feels like burning haze. There aren’t any enemies here either, just lots of boxes and containers brought from those massive cargo ships. She searches for another alchemy stash and she founds one. She has been very lucky, there is just one left to finish the mission.

There is nothing more of interest here so Lana moves to the office in the same floor.

(Second attempt to use bandages fails)

Office #1 - Ground floor

Things are more interesting at the untidy office, a Vodou Zombie greets her with its once floral smell. Combat is easy since the zombie is very clumsy and in a couple of blows collapses.

Seems like going to this office was a waste of time because there is nothing of interest.

Lana exists the office, and leaves the warehouse behind to go up to the first floor using the stairs to her right.

She doesn’t encounter any enemies in the already cleared warehouse.

(Third and final attempt to use bandages fails, she has no more bandages)

Main entrance - First floor

Right at the main entrance there is an agent of the Orisha organization sitting on a sofa and playing with his phone. This area resembles a lot a dentist’s waiting room.

The man sees Lana, she makes a small nod and the man does the same. Enemy NPC reaction: indifferent

Next to the sofa there is a magazine rack where Lana searches for anything of use, but she doesn’t. Perception check

Me: cries. I’ve lost a grimoire.

There is a small office next to the sofa area so Lana heads there.

Office #2 - First floor

A man in a fancy suit that looks like a manager, or a gangster upon approach, shouts and demands that Lana must give him anything of value. She tries to convince him that she hasn’t anything of value, and the gangster buys the lie. Persuasion check

Lying on the office is the third alchemy stash that Lana was looking for, so she grabs it before the gangster-wanna-be-manager changes his mind.

She heads out to throw the three stashes of alchemy to the Thames to finish her mission.

She doesn’t encounter any enemies..

Parking lot

Just next to the exit a freaking Failed Chimera appears.

‘Cause if we could die at the end of the mission, why shouldn’t we?

The Chimera notices her when she tries to sneak, and they engage in combat. The Chimera throws a couple of blows that Lana cannot avoid since she tries to run from combat every time, she is badly damaged, but she manages to escape just an attack away from dying.

Finally, Lana throws the three stashes of alchemical ingredients to the Thames and goes to report back to the Omphalos.

Mission recap

  • +150 favour with Causa Cientiae
  • 500ø
  • Got a Salamander’s Gift
  • Got 2 Alchemical ingredients

Lana spends 450ø buying 9x bandages at the Omphalos.