Investing in Snacks

Investing in Snacks
Part of Call of the Shadows
Date 2085-06-27 GM OrionsRequiem Location Seattle Metroplex, UCAS Status Threat Level: High
Factions Involved
ShadowHaven Loyell	Sander & Drenil Investment Banking
Artemisia Catharsis	Dexter Drenil Various Guards

Summary

In which getting a snack is more involved than one expects

Background

Artemisia is hungry, and requires a snack. Luckily, after letting a previous snack go she knows where to find one.

Brodie J's Drive-thru Vamp Snacks

Artemisia's hunger has been getting the better of her, and needs to siphon essence in order to keep from going feral or fading away. However the vampire does not simply want to attack a random person in the street. Instead deciding to target one of the minions of her former mentor and sire Josephine. After the elder vampire had taunted Artemisia with a series of potential food sources some months ago, Arti decides to finish off the victim that she let go.

Catharsis seeking some time with her surrogate sister, brings along King, the found black cat that Arti had brought back to the Iceberg Hotel some time ago, and had been staying with Catharsis for some time after the destruction of the hotel at the fiery breath of Tyranthoth. The decker meets up with Arti and can immediately tell that she is hungry to the point of danger, even if she is also being riled up by the presence of Julie d'Aubigny who is still seeking to fight an actual duel with the vampire for the return of her heroic mentor's sword.

Closing up the bookstore as Julie leaves, Catharsis and Arti discuss the options available to them and come upon the investment banker who had been looking into the Avalon Foundation before their trip to London. Doing some investigation into the man based on the facial recognition and the knowledge they had of him being an investment banker, it took the experienced decker very little time to come across Dexter Drenil of Sander & Drenil Investment banking. The firm has an office in the Downtown district and the group caters to the wealthy, and so thinking that they might be able to find someone else to scam into setting them up a meeting, Artemisia suggests calling Brodie J

As it turns out, Brodie J already had a portfolio with Drenil, though can't set up an appointment without an emergency. With a suggestion from Artemisia, Brodie J decides that the easiest solution is to crash his Gladius so that there is an emergency with which he can book an appointment right away.

Once Brodie J arrives at the downtown office that the runners have been waiting outside of, he simply went in. While Catharsis disabled the cameras in the office and Arti turned into a bird once she was through the ward in the office window. The vampire moved with speed to transform the investment banker into a mouse before swooping in and making away with him.

Upon return to Arti's safehouse, they secure the mouse and allow the spell to drop, returning Drenil to his normal form and giving him some shorts to avoid the awkward moment.

However more awkwardness ensues as it turns out that after being spared Arti's wrath the last time Drenil actually kept his word, avoiding Josephine's file and keeping himself out of evil schemes beyond the evils of capitalism that are inherent in his job. Drenil explains that Josephine had some property in Glow City, and was curious about any sort of financial dirt that could be used on the Avalon Foundation, but that even with Drenil's corrupt use of investment banking he couldn't find anything on the foundation that would stick.

Deciding to be merciful once again and leave him alive, Arti and Catharsis reach out to Teldragon, who agrees to take and protect Drenil in return for his services to raise money for the cause of returning the Horned God, and forgives some of the debt that Artemisia owes to the spirit.

Drenil also says that he will help Arti feed, reaching out to Josephine and lying about having dirt on the foundation so that the elder vampire will send a stooge to be eaten in Drenil's place.

Dining out

Catharsis and Artemisia learn that they have a meeting set up with Josephine's stooge the next day at the Space Needle, and they begin to set up a trap. While Artemisia scouts the place out astrally and physically so that she can set up with a long-range rifle in one of the roofs and hiding herself, Catharsis creates a series of fake data on the Avalon foundation with the help of her grandfather and his connection with the Blackmore Foundation, and of Hyden Jones in his position on the Avalon Foundation. Though she makes the promise to Hyden that the dirt never sees the light of day, because the potential damage to the foundation that is his responsibility could bring down authorities that they wish to avoid.

Heading to the Space Needle, Catharsis disguises herself as one of Drenil's assistants and goes to meet at a cafe that has been abandoned for the day. Meeting up with a man who introduces himself as Sergeant Leyton Barnabas, English Secret Service. Leyton explains that Josephine has been working with the secret service to help track down the thieves of the Crown Jewels, and that the theft hasn't been made public because it would make the people panic. However Catharsis was able to catch Leyton in a lie based on his countenance and a slipping accent, managing to distract him long enough to give Arti a shot, the man being knocked unconscious and picked up by Loyell to be dragged back to the vampire's van. Catharsis was also able to retrieve a dart gun that Leyton had been hiding under the table, and get back without suspicion.

Take-Home Meals

Returning to Arti's safehouse, Catharsis and Arti interrogate the man formerly known as Leyton. Learning that the dart gun is filled with Naga Venom, and convincing Leyton that they won't kill him if he explains what Josephine has been up to. He explains that she was working with the secret service as he had said, as well as setting up some forms of lodging beyond the fog wall in Tir na nOg. Finally the runners learn that Leyton was meant to meet up with "someone with spectacles" in Glow City once he had received the data chip with the dirt on the Avalon Foundation.

His purpose having been served, Catharsis leaves the safehouse while Arti gets her bite to eat, and the elf calls Babylon

A Cordial Trip to Glow City

Babylon and Catharsis meet up in Glow City once they take the proper precautions to lower the effect of radiation, and while Gomorrah is left at home until needed, Loyell refuses to leave Catharsis' side. The two elves delve deep into the radioactive caves until they find an abandoned log cabin built into Glow City and protected with a very large ward. Babylon cleanses the background count and uses Gomorrah to create an astral window into the cabin, finding the form of Mr. Four-Eyes and managing to see the ally's aura.

However, the spirit was able to spot the casting of magic within its domain, and opened the door to invite Catharsis and Babylon in, though Babylon rudely refuses the invitation, Catharsis walks in to discuss her purpose there. Though there are no overt threats made on either side, the implication that Catharsis should come with Four-Eyes to go see her grandfather, and that tragedies might befall those that she love given enough time and resistance is clear.

Catharsis is allowed to leave, and she and Babylon quickly make their way out of Glow City, finally getting a chance to rest once they are free.

Rewards

- Arti gains +2 chips on Teldragon for trading him a whole ass man

- 8 Karma (8 RVP)

- S20 CDP (9 RVP)

Player After Action Reports (AARs)

Artemisia: Every time I pull the trigger, I see my own eyes staring back at me. Is that selfish, narcissistic? Am I so broken that the only way I can feel empathy anymore is to project myself onto the other?

It is the great hypocrisy of my age. I am monstrous and yet, I am assured I have achieved some meager form of redemption. My past wrongs, the blood of hundreds has been washed clean from my hands. And yet I must kill to extend my own unlife. So I search out the monstrous, those that cannot be redeemed, monsters that would kill hundreds and feel no remorse. And I devour them.

Why do I get a second chance and they do not? It is not fair to them. They deserve better than death beneath my fangs. How could one ever pretend this is right, that is is acceptable? And yet, hypocrite that I am, I gorge myself regardless.

I must believe in a salvation. I must follow the wildflowers.