Surveying the Situation
| Surveying the Situation | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||||
| Factions Involved | |||||||||
| ShadowHaven | Major Corp | ||||||||
|
Saint Neznayka Samael Asuriel |
Character1 Character2 | ||||||||
Summary
The runners are contracted to escort a surveyor into Lakota Territory near the Bear Lodge, also known as the Devil's Tower, as quietly as possible.
Background
Travel via cargo truck to get to the Souix nation
Surveyer is named Shep Proudfoot, measuring magical quality of the region. Lakota are doing a Sun Dance which elevates the magical background of the area. Possible connections to what is going on in Yellowstone. Travelling to Bear Lodge AKA Devil's Tower
Standard "if we get caught" disposable asset. Paracritters in the area. Survey will take a few days.
Yellowstone: astral volcanic eruption and metaplanar rift about six years ago. Local shamans baffled as to cause. Not uncommon, lots of places of powers, but still significant
Devil's Tower: When Hailey's comet passed, the mesa grew as did the local mana. During Sun dance ritual lots of magical ebbs and manifsations.
The Meet
The team met with Mr. Johnson at the Friendship Restaurant on Council Island. The Amerindian Johnson contracts the team and offers everyone 12,000 Nuyen. 2k is up front, and a bonus if we can discover what is going on over on the Mesa.
The Plan
Smuggled into Lakota territory with ghillie suits. Our goal is be as unseen as possible in order to avoid Lakota patrols, local tribes, paracritters, and even jabberwockies.
The Run
Uneventful trip though Denver, once outside of Denver the cargo truck gets waylaid by Thunderboys go-gangers. Seeing the armed folks in the truck, as well as the troll with a machine gun, the go-gangers decide to go seek easier prey.
Once in Cayenne, the team gets some supplies and gear before heading out. The Dyrad gets some drugs, because dryads gonna dryads and the team gears up to head into the woods.
Samael, the literal city kid in the group, does not travel well and gets saved from all manner of forest related problems by Nez's skills and acumen. As the group sets up camp at the first of three locations, they are accosted by a bear which Nez manages to diplomacy/animal handling away. On the way to the second site, the team feels like they're being watched - Nez's dogs seems to sense something, but it passes. The group continues looking for the albino eagle that seems to be following them.
During the travel to the second site, Samael is the first one to fall - taking enough stun damage from fatigue to fall out and require some first aid to get back up and moving.
The team reaches the second location, a rock formation with a cave in it. Checking the cave for animals inside reveals it's a clear place to stay. The team realizes the albino eagle is not a spirit - which is more than a little disturbing. There is a brief discussion about how it being some kind of insane paracritter is the best of all possible choices. The team sets down camp for the night, determining a firewatch schedule.
During Saint's watch, she sees a tall hairy thing that might be a sasquatch out in the woods. Thankfully, he was just vibing and carried on his furry way.
The next morning, Proudfoot gets the gear set up and begins taking measurements while the team is concealed under tarps and camouflage. During the course of the day, the team's camouflage is tested as they narrowly (by one hit!) don't get seen by a passing Lakota kill squad patrol. As the sun sets, the runners witness... something. Some kind of magical manifestation over the mesa, a large man looking over the mesa and seeing to look down at the tribe doing the Sun Dance.
The uphill trek to the third site nearly takes out both Nez and Sam. The forest sucks and does not have room service.
During the watch, the albino eagle is spotted again, circling the monument before flying off to the southeast. During Saint's watch, the jabberwocky that has been stalking them this entire time finally makes its play, leading to a one on one duel. Saint rolls hard, and the Jabberwocky bails after a few rounds.
During the final day, while witnessing what seemed to be more spirit summoning seeming to occur on the mesa, the team discovers they've been found by two Lakota. The team seems to realize that the Lakota, who normally disdain augmentation, have cybereyes and wired reflexes. A short conversation trying to talk leads to a fight and the runner manage to drop one of them and drive the blood mage off before they did too much damage or injured the survey person they were guarding.
The dying Lakota utters with their dying breathe "my life for you". The entire team feels this wave of nausea for a moment which none of us like at all.
Aftermath
The team makes it out without having attracting extra attention, returning the client unharmed and with the knowledge that whatever was going on at the Bear Lodge involves blood magic.