Stop an occult terrorist cell at the Vice & Virtue tea shop

Seekers Beyond the Shroud

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

You may want to read the first, second and third parts of the campaign.

Thursday, first quarter - Day 4 at the Omphalos

Lana tries today to do some shopping, since yesterday the shops were closed, as she passes through the main entrance, a man in a hoodie carefully walks towards her; he is an spy from the Causa Cientiae order and warns her about some talking that has been made recently, dangerous times are coming. Daily event: inside information +10 defensive skills for the next mission

There is a crowd next to an unknown woman to Lana, but apparently she is well known. Lana tries to pass through the multitude, but there are too many people. CHA test

The Hall of Orders has made a slow start after yesterday’s holiday and only the Causa Cientiae and the Kadmonites have their representatives, since Lana doesn’t see her friend Cecil in the Causa Cientiae stand, she goes to the Kadmonites. There, a middle aged woman, with rugged looks and sun burnt skin welcomes her. Her name is Mary and she warns her that the upcoming mission would be difficult (as the spy already told Lana), she is to stop a cell of occult terrorists that have one of their bases on an abandoned tea house, Vice & Virtue. Mission: Occult Terrorists

I rolled Mary’s appearance using Knave’s character creation tables, then the Tome of Adventure Design to know what the abandoned complex where this mission takes place would be, I get “Tea shop or restaurant”.

Before setting off, Lana goes around the different shops to buy the materials needed to summon Taavi and to resupply before the mission.

She buys more bandages, a light kevlar armour (a freaking failed chimera chewed and ruined her old armour in the previous mission) the ritual tools (athame, chalice, wand and a pentacle) and a ritual robe. She will need to consecrate those (or at least try) but that’s the plan for some other day.

I’m thinking that after gaining a Rank with an Order the character should get a title (think of “Daenerys Stormborn of the House Targaryen, First of Her Name, the Unburnt bla bla”).

Lana’s first title would be “Lana Vanne, Who Hates Chimeras” (Chimera Slayer would be very presumptuous since I think that she has only slain one?) I’m eager to get that Rank and title ;)

Generating the location: abandoned tea shop

  • A - Main entrance
  • B - Hallway x6
  • C - Warehouse
  • D - Office/Room x 12
  • E - Recreation room
  • F - Parking loot

The Vice & Virtue abandoned tea shop

At the Vice & Virtue tea shop

Main entrance

No enemies on first sight, but some shadowy visions overwhelm Lana, doubt hovers over her… and she manages to get a hold of herself and continue. WILL test

There are bodies hanged on the wall, they’ve been killed a while ago, they’re no longer warm. Lana searches the bodies and founds a lighter, some disturbing children photos (she is happy that the waste of space of a man is dead), and 3ø.

Room 1

The first terrorist shows up, is a Rogue Mage, Lana prepares for combat.

The mage is quicker, and shots Lana, but she manages to avoid the shot. She shots the mage, it does not hit. Lana acts first this time, shots and fails, she dodges the enemy’s shot. The Rogue mage goes first, shots Lana and hits her, Lana also scores a hit. In the next round Lana avoids the shots, but she doesn’t hit the mage. The mage acts first again, shots Lana and the pain almost paralyses her, but she shots and hits the mage. This round Lana acts first, she shots but doesn’t hit the mage, the mage shots and the pain paralyses Lana. She loses this turn, but avoids the incoming attack. She then avoids the next shot from the mage and shots him one last time, he is dead.

I think that from now on I will not write the full combat log until something striking is happening.

Lana loots the body taking the Sai, a Glock and an Antidote, the mage has also 10ø.

Then, she uses some bandages to patch her wounds.

See that? I could heal her at the first try!

Room 2

There aren’t any enemies, but a somewhat archaic security measure, a tripwire, activates some bombs, Lana reacts quickly and she is not harmed, but 3 locations are destroyed. DEX test Parking loot, Room 4 and Room 8 destroyed

This is good since now I have less rooms to search!

Looking around the rubble, Lana finds a strongbox, but she is unable to open it. Lockpiking check

She wants to patch her wounds a little more, but it is no use.

Okay, this is more normal.

Hallway 2

Another Rogue Mage appears, attracted by the ruckus that Lana has made.

This Mage only scores a single blow on Lana, an improvement compared to than the last one, and she wins the combat (this time Lana combats on close quarters since she is better with melee defensive skills even if her attack is lower).

She is unable to patch her wounds.

This is becoming a problem.

Hallway 3

No enemies in this hallway, but a man that smells of “Private security” stops her, he is not violent and the beginning, but he doesn’t buy Lana’s story and switches to a combat pose. NPC reaction: unfriendly Persuasion check NPC flavour: weak, chain smoker, knowledge

She manages to kill the private security guard, taking some damage. The private security guy had some common currency that is useless for Lana, and she cannot get any more weight into her rucksack, so she lefts the guard’s gear.

Writing this play report now I realise that I should have dropped the sai-s and got the firearms since they’re sold for more obols… surely I was tired after work that day

She is unable to patch her wounds.

LANA, STOP BEING SO DAMN CLUMSY!

I can think of the second title once she gets her second Rank with an Order: Lana Vanne, Who Hates Chimeras, Butterfingers.. Oh Wait! But She Has DEX 17

Recreation room

No enemies in the recreation room, but Lana discovers a prisoner that is handcuffed and she is unable to release the man.

She patches her wounds a bit.

Here we go! But it is not enough.

Hallway 3

This hallway is silent…

Room 3

No enemies but a woman appears and stops Lana. Lana tells her that she is looking for the restroom (after all, this is a big complex) and that she is a new recruit and that she is a bit lost. The woman believes her. Persuasion check

I don’t roll for the NPC traits, only the genre, unless they become hostile.

She patches her wounds a little.

Still not enough *whistles*

Hallway 3

Another Rogue mage appears.

Lana takes two hits and kills the mage after six hits, she is seriously wounded.

She takes a mini led flashlight from the corpse.

OK. I think that this is the time to retreat, she is at 25HP and she cannot use any more First aids in the locations that she’s been, since I’ve already tried to heal her at every location.

No enemies found going back to the entrance!

Mission recap

Mary from the Kadmonites is not pleased with the results.

  • -50 favour with the Kadmonites
  • Selling the loot I get: two sais at full price; two Glock 17s, one at full price, and a Beretta at full price -> 1800ø

Well, I’ve lost some favour, but I could sell the loot for some obols, not that bad. These “extermination” missions are still not for my character, she is too weak for those.

They’re not my cup of tea (haha bad pun, sorry).

I think that I would need to get some potions or restorative magic before attempting a mission like this again. I also should have retreated after the first NPC encounter (after the second rogue mage), since I got lucky going back to the exit, but if the character would have encountered another enemy things would have turned bad. Very bad.