Ghosts, Memories, Consciousness
| Ghosts, Memories, Consciousness | ||||||||||
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| Part of A Quest for Transcendence | ||||||||||
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| Factions Involved | ||||||||||
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ShadowHaven Hank Nerlithothep the Succubus | The Cult of Transcended Flesh | The Lurker | ||||||||
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Fennec Babylon |
Cult Leader Cult Soldiers | Son of Daaghon | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | ||||||||||
| None. | Most of the cult security details and their leader got wiped out, some of scientist escape, but the facility is in ruin. | Vanquished again, hopefully for good this time. | ||||||||
Summary
Hank hire Babylon to find answer about his past, leading to a long trail back to a cult and a painful reunion. All is not lost as there is some sparks of hope.
Background
Hank has few memories of his "training" years, he mostly remember his years of service for SK before he got brought in the N-51 by Frag Face because he survived one of his punch. Looking for answer he turn to one of the few person that he think are reliable.
Meanwhile Babylon come down the absolute mayem that was her Boston job, hoping to have a few days of peace...
The Meet
Babylon see her rest at her safehouse being interrupted by a knock on the door, Gomorrah take a peak outside and realise it's Hank, curious about it, Babylon open the door and decide to hear what the PTT has to say. This one expose that he look for answer about his past and that he found a trail in the SSC Bellingham specifically, something that revealed to him in weird dreams induced by the Succubus he live with.
Concerned by the fact, Babylon decide to help him though on the way to the SSC, she ask question about his relation with the succubus, Hank expose that it's mostly a beneficial association with a few plus, that he is looking for answer about his past and that Nerlithothep is looking for answer about her origins. The long talk that ensue make both realise some of the flaw of their life and Hank eventually agree to give Nerlithothep true name that he learned during the bonding ritual. And to watch over her to change some of her practice. A fair deal.
The Run
The duo start to work by looking about some curious disappearence in Bellingham, a pattern of young teenagers and adults with bioware and cyberware adaptation capabilities. This lead Hank to a small office tied to what seemed to be a simple A corps doing biotech and cyberware research. Once at the office, Babylon and Gomorrah help Hank become a shadow, and the PTT can go inside to grab the one that seemed in charge, back in a little ancient safehouse the duo proceed to do an interrogation, with Babylon playing the good cop and Hank the bad one and the mage would soon crack, revealing that they indeed take advantage of clinic observation and routine check up to spot potential subject that are then abducted and sent somewhere else. He doesn't know exactly where and can't tell more cause he doesn't know more. The duo also learn of a list of abducted peoples and amongst them is Alison Wimbleton, sharing Hank last time confirming that one of his relative was in danger.
Facing a problem, Babylon eventually ring Vigo Flamel asking if he has any asset in the SSC, after some time Vigo would confirm that he has some contact amongst the rangers that could pick up the mage, who tell the last bit of hidden information he has before being properly handle to the Delta Green's agents for further questionning and protection. After this the duo head back to Seattle, as clues point toward the PCC, at that point Babylon realise they'll need a matrix support and decide to call in one of the only one available at the time.
Back in Babylon's safehouse, Hank learn about this and decide he doesn't want to deal with the traitor that she is, and decide to go in the PCC on it's own and it's only after a long negotiation that he reluctantly accept to work with the Fox Goddess, the team then meet in a motel in Reno and Fennec work her magic realizing that the corp Desysin Incorporated has a lot of clinic and site, yet one of the extraterritoriality concession doesn't coincide with any facilities they are supposed to have, guessing it might be the place where the abducted peoples are sent, a quick scout on the astral confirm it and the team prepare to delve deeper...
Fennec is brought in under shapechange by Gomorrah and connect to the host avoiding the security spider and the Patrol IC to find access to a variety of files, confirming the worst fears, it was indeed some very shady experiment about how receptive to ware the test subject were. All of those experiment were made for the sake of a Project Apotheosis of which they also found the data, some ways to Transcend the Flesh and form better PTT going over the simpler limit of one souls and body, Cybermancy in fact.Helped supposdely by the Elder Gods themselves, one was named, Azathoth the Nuclear God. They also found some past research notes, some mentionning the Genesis of a test subject that could only have been Hank.
More worringly though was that Alison Wimbleton, was listed as a very receptive subject for Project Apotheosis and marked to go through it, the team therefore accelerated their preparation, the plan was simple, infiltrate the site through the ventilation system while Fennec would use VR to drive a car stashed with explosive on the exposed part of the site to draw attention. Putting the plan to effect, everything did go rather smoothly and the first opposition met was dispatched with ease, yet something was wrong with the place and the taint in the air was heavy. Yet Fennec managed to access the doors of the many cells and to liberate the test subject, who were quickly sent toward the escape vehicles.
Going deeper into the site, the team ended up in front of what seemed to be the room were this Apotheosis was conducted, the taint in the hair was manifest, and even Hank was nervous about it, after breaching the door, they'd found the local leader of the Cult and his guardian, Alison and one of the defender, killed because he failed. Despite the belicist approach of the team, the cult leader was confident and cocky and was curious to learn why people broke into the site, managing to lie and say they were here to learn about the secret knowledge, the team manage to buy time. Only for Babylon to realise that they were too late, Alison had indeed been turned into a Cyberzombie.
The team learned however that those Cultist were using spirit from depth of the metaplane to bind the souls of their test subject with brand of horrid magic. Thus avoiding part of the really difficult process to make such creation. This information in hand the team decided to rid the world of those scum and a fight broke out. Babylon out of rage decided to use a mana static spell but she delved too much in her power and while the warp created killed the Cultist right away it also brough the attention of a old foe...
Surging from the Astral and manifesting in all it's might was the towering Son of Daaghon, willing to get his revenge. Fennec managed to dispatch the Guardian of the cult leader with a magnificient whip strike while Hank lunged at the Denizen of the Deepth, sword in hand. A long and harassing battle ensued pushing the runners to the edge of their capabilities, the Son of Daaghon was wreaking havoc on the site, calling Star from the Beyong to crash on the team. Fennec was rendered motionless by an Eldritch Howl of the creature, Hank was on it's last leg and Babylon's spirits were barely holding the powerful shadow creature back. As all hope were starting to fade, appeared Nerlithothep who felt through her bond that Hank was in grave danger, she brought in the same wisdom as the first time... "Those denizen fear the light." And with a last ditched effort, a sunbeam would come crashing on the Son of Daaghon disrupting him on the spot. Putting an end to this harsh battle...
Aftermath
The Team gathered the test subject around some of them suffering like Fennec of the howl of the Son, and soon all of them were headed for Reno, Hank offered some of the test subject to go to the N-51 and go through the Veteran Program to recover an existence on the matrix and recover their real identity later down the line. While some of the test subject decided to get back to their older life.
Then there was a meeting in the motel, Hank was deeply concerned with the state of her sister, yet Babylon encouraged him to pursue the search for a cure, while Hank was mostly worried that her life was robbed as well, even if she was cured of the cyberzombie condition, she couldn't live a normal life because of all the implant that were put in her body. Yet while he considered a "painless mercy" he left himself being convinced, he couldn't muster himself to do such a thing.
This huge strain on his mental ended up bringing the attention of Nerlithothep, who ended up learning about the deal due to the shared memories between her and Hank. During the ensuing talk, Babylon realize that while the succubus pretended to be unmoved by emotion and that the bond was purely pragmatic, the Spirit was feeling genuine concern for the PTT and his situation. The negotiation were harsh and a deal was set, Nerlithothep would harvest karma with a formula made by Babylon of which Hank would be the Warden, the more bigger service that might endanger the Succubus though would still have to be paid with the regular ways. The deal agreed on by both party would be sealed as Nerlithothep lean toward Babylon and offer her True Name as a sign of good will...And thus everyone parted way for the better and the worse...
Rewards
Run Reward for "Ghost, Memories, Consciousness" (Extreme 30x2 12 hours of run time) (60 RVP)
For Babylon :
40 Karma (40 RVP)
20k Nuyens (10 RVP)
22 CDP (10 RVP)
History is not certain as we are taught (enjoy the 4th world) (rank must be bought of the enemy)
And can take one rank of the 4th world
Spirit ask her question about the whole Elder God thing
Optional
Daredevil at chargen rate (6 RVP)
Vigo Flamel (7/3) (9 RVP or 18 CDP)
Hank (1/5 )(5 RVP or 10 CDP)
Nerlithothep (1/3) (3 RVP or 6 CDP)
For Fennec :
50 Karma (50 RVP)
22 CDP (10 RVP)
Can buy Loyalty 5 with Hank.
+5 N-51 Reputation, Hank is spreading the word cause he is cool
Optional
Mnemonic Vault (8 RVP)
Can take a rank in the enemy.
Narrative beat :
Nerlithothep the Succubus will change her ways to harvest karma, lesser service are going to be paid using her formula, bigger service still require the "regular" way.
A deal is made and Babylon learned her true name, this is to enforce the deal, Hank also help in that regard.
Hank recovered his lost sister who has been turned into a Cyberzombie. Perhaps there is a cure?
The Cult of the Transcended Flesh lost one of their top site, and will need a lot of time to recover.
Delta Green learn of the existence of the Cult and get on their track.
The Son of Dhaagon has reappeared and vanquished, again but for how long?
Player After Action Reports (AARs)
Fennec - Wow! Wow. Y'know, wow. I~ I don't know how to feel about that. Horrible tentacle monster? Horrors beyond my comprehension? Cyberzombies? What am I supposed to think about the last month? It's been way too much way too fast and I'm so tired.