Ob-La-Di, Obeah

Ob-La-Di, Obeah
Date 2082-05-07 GM Sarcarian Location Bellevue, Seattle Metroplex Status Threat Level: Medium
Factions Involved
ShadowHaven	Aztechnology	Zobob Syndicate
Glamor	Construction Worker Explorer	Vampire Hunter
Casualties and losses
	Construction Worker
This was a paradigm shift run.

Summary

In which Glamor makes a new Infected acquaintance, goes on a journey of self-discovery, and discovers religion.

Background

After the events of Data Jacking, Glamor allowed herself to become Infected with HMHVV Strain I, and has been dealing with the lifestyle changes since then. Having a bit of a rough time of it and feeling out-of-sorts (an especially troublesome feeling for a follower of Boar), she has been focusing on furthering her studies into Black Magic, but hasn't been vibing with it as much as usual.

The Midnight Meeting

While studying a tome of arcane lore and feeling rather bored with the whole thing, Glamor hears a knock at her door. The stranger on the other side has bright shiny orange eyes and looks half-starved, and introduces himself as Emmanuel - a sukuyan from the Carib League. Inviting him inside, Glamor offers a packet of blood (as well as some salt), and Emmanuel tells her that he was drawn to her by their shared mentor; he explains that he is being hunted, that he escaped slavery with the Zobob syndicate who have a voodoo doll of him that they are using to track him. With Glamor as his only hope, he asks her for her help, and she agrees.

The Feeding

Seeing that Emmanuel is in bad shape and low on essence, Glamor resolves to find a poor unfortunate victim for him to feed upon. Not wanting to just go out and hunt a random hobo - Emmanuel is clearly troubled by his condition from what he's told her, and Glamor is trying to retain some sense of humanity for herself - she resolves to go after her favorite target: Aztechnology. Putting her knowledge of their local operations to use, Glamor recalls hearing of some odd fluctuations in the mana around the pyramid, and rumors of tunnel digging operations in the area (see: Noir Days and Bright Nights). Deciding to call up her BFF Corf, she meets up with the helpful lil' minecart at a nearby abandoned subway station and has him give her and Emmanual a lift over to the tunnels via ley line.

Sadly for the two Infected, the ley line is a rather powerful one, having been redirected with geomancy by the megacorp for some unknown (and likely sinister, judging by the lingering taint of a blood magic ritual) purpose. The heavy background count causes an uncomfortable thrumming in Glamor's heart that distracts her as she makes her way towards a dig site with a trio of workers, and one of them overhears her attempt to invisibly sneak up on them. Thinking quickly, she uses her mind magic to have a pair of the workers knock eachother out before subduing the one who spotted her and dragging him off - unfortunately before she does so he manages to get out a call for help on his commlink, and an explorer soon shows up to investigate.

A short fight ensues during which the explorer manages to see through Glamor's masking and identify her true aura, as well as stab her in the shoulder with a spear. Recklessly hurling stunbolts and trapping the explorer behind a mana barrier, she attempts to finish him off before forcing him to flee, running back to Corf with her victim and lying to the innocent/trusting spirit that he's just another friend of hers and needs a lift back to her place.

The Self-Reflection

Returning to her apartment with her victim just as the sun is starting to rise, Glamor lets Emmanuel have the essence to himself and proceeds to have a conversation with him about their shared condition. Emmanuel shares his spiritual beliefs in Obeah, talking about how his religion teaches that the Infected are soul-less and cursed; he is clearly distressed by the prospect, but talks of needing the spiritual guidance in order to retain his sense of self when the hunger begins to overtake him. Glamor is moved and finds herself at a loss for words, and Emmanuel soon falls asleep from exhaustion.

Glamor is left to deal with the body of the slain Aztechnology worker, and decides to call up Amelie and Jean-Baptiste to help her dispose of it. Amelie says that she'll send her brother to pick it up to be fed to ghouls after sunset, and tells her to have it wrapped, so she goes to Stuffer Shack to get some supplies (and some booze for Emmanuel) before returning to prepare the body and contemplate her life choices for a bit. When Emmanuel wakes up she gives him some booze and fruit juice, and the two talk for a bit about their traditions and their relationship with the spirits, including their shared mentor. Glamor calls up Burnie Sanders, her bound fire spirit, to sit in her fireplace and have a chat for a bit.

The Spiritual Journey

After talking with the spirit and Emmanuel for a bit, Glamor releases Burnie from his remaining services to her and meets with Jean-Baptiste to hand over the body before returning with some questions about her life choices. Deciding to take a metaplanar journey to find answers, she calls up some of her contacts to see if they have any shade so that Emmanuel can join her. She has little luck, and a misunderstanding with Kenneth "Flamesaw" Murphy results in Kenny showing up while high on shade and not sure what he's doing. Sighing, she goes to Kenny's place to get his body and bring it to her lodge, having Emmanuel watch over him while she projects.

Encountering the Dweller at the Threshold in the former of her deceased twin sister, Glamor has a brief moment of bad feels where her resolve is tested before winding up in a dark forest with a blood red moon in the sky somewhere on the Metaplane of Beasts. Summoning a huntsman spirit to guide her and protect her from the local beast spirits (who she has something of an issue with), she has an encounter with a pair of demonic-looking boar spirits, but manages to talk her way past them and get access to Boar's grove and speak with her mentor, having a conversation about why Emmanuel was sent to her and where she's going with her life. Finding some sense of solace and learning that she needs something to help her hold onto her metahumanity, Glamor thanks Boar for their words of wisdom and returns to the material plane.

==Aftermath Waking up back in her lodge, Glamor finds Emmanuel engaged in a desperate fight with a vampire hunter sent by the Zobob, with Kenny ineffectually trying to help with astral combat. Leaping into action, Glamor hits the hunter with a stunbolt, causing them to drop their stake, and is immediately shot in the head for her efforts. Barely managing to stay conscious, she slings a flurry of stunbolts at her opponent to keep his attention, diving behind the couch to avoid being shot again and narrowly managing to drop the hunter before he finishes her off. Catching her breath and feeling a change in the flow of magic through her, she attempts to summon a spirit, finding that it's taken a new form and appears with the knowledge to give her medical aid and heal her wounds. Emmanuel seems to have some idea what has happened, and offers to stay and teach her about Obeah.

Rewards

-Paradigm shift to Obeah -It Works If You Work It @ chargen price -5 karma -10 CDP

Game Quotes

Glamor: "Hey Corf, do you have any shade?" Corf: "Umm... yup! [Brings Glamor to a nice shady spot to have a picnic] Glamor: "...thanks Corf."

Player After Action Reports (AARs)

Glamor

I'm... struggling, a little, with what I have become. What my sister would think of me. I have much contemplation to do.