La Famille Du Peintre
The nights are long and the shadows deepen. Not in the cushy offices of corporate executives and not in the dimly lit, neon streets. Museums across the world are being scouted out. Artifacts filter in and out without any proper record or their existence. Curators wind up dead and security has never been tighter. Someone is planning something and it's up to you whether the road of heists and intrigue leads to riches or to an untimely demise. Good luck, runners.
History
A set of taxidermy knives were recovered from the Seattle Art Museum by a team of runners in their daring train heist.
Later that year, a team of San Francisco runners are contracted to kill the museum curator at the De Young. A team of Seattle runners put a stop to this, without the woman ever learning of the plot. Despite instructions to capture the San Francisco runner team, they are left to escape.
A series of paintings, thought stolen and then destroyed in 2012, allegedly resurfaced in the hands of a private collector, one Ludvig Von Blainsteed, a wealthy venture capitalist with a notable number of shares in Wuxing. One of these paintings was taken by runners and given to a Green-Eyed stranger.
Later, a railroad spike is stolen from a hospital. The gnome carrying it receives an ominous vision of railroad tracks and immortality. The spike is delivered to L.R.'s associates.
The Green-Eyed Witch cashes in several spirit pacts in order to gather their forces and accrue karma. The former pit fighter, 'Drundeah' is taken on as their personal bodyguard.
Factions
L. R.
L. R. is the name of a mysterious, eccentric man, found monogrammed onto envelopes and on the wrists of his operatives. Rumors run wild. An eccentric billionaire. A mad mage. An ancient vampire. A free spirit. Whatever he is, he keeps a low profile, operating primarily through subordinates that have curious little knowledge about the man himself. He does everything with an eccentric air of class, communicating via paper letters written in an elegant hand and desires a number of specific artifacts and art pieces with a fervent passion.
Important Members
Leonard MacLainn: One of the innocuous middlemen of L.R., a relatively young and buffoonish man who delivers letters for his benefactor. Has appeared as a Johnson for runs in the past.
Douglas Carlston - One of J.R.’s personal assistants, Douglas Carlston is rough ridin’ chromed up cowboy type. He handles everything from finances and meetings to the dirtier side of the man’s business. He is an aware with several init grades below his belt.
Goals
Acquire a series of relics from art museums, historical depositories and private collections from across the globe. These items are typically from the 1880's to 1920's and often bear a potent magical signature upon them.
The Seattle Public Library et al
Less an organized faction and more of an abstract body of museums and more official private collections, this section will be updated with more specific players and galleries as they become relevant. These museums are typically in government or corporate control and runs on them will typically be more 'straight-forward', standard heists, with less weird magic stuff going on. Most of the time.
Important Members
Mrs. Frost: The head librarian of the Seattle Public library, Mrs. Frost is a strange old woman with one confident foot in the shadows. After uncovering a strange series of disappearances from museums across the world and an attempt on one of her friends lives, she has turned an eye towards the works of L. R. Perhaps this is in the name of protecting the artistic world or perhaps she merely moves to pre-emptively defend secrets of her own.
Interpol: Mrs. Frost has connections with Interpol. At the moment, the organization simply lacks the resources, manpower or cause to get involved in any meaningful way. However, the more things escalate, the more they will be prompted to change that. Global art heists are one of the few things they still have some authority on, actually.
Goals
Uncover the secrets of this "Mysterious Benefactor" and keep the records of the Seattle Public Library under guard.
Try to keep paintings in museums.
The Vermillion Auction
A gathering of the filthiest and richest of the world's art appreciators, The Vermillion Auction is the place one goes to truly find the most hidden of gems. A rotating event that caters to corporate executives and syndicate bosses alike, The Vermillion Auction sells art. Not your tame, bargain variety art but real art. Within its hallowed halls, you can find anything from historical pieces from the Italian renaissance to ancient carvings to first edition classic literature to modern sculptures that mend flesh and steel to works by fey spirits and so much more. The audience of these actions are just as diverse as its offerings, the commonality between them being that they all are terribly rich. The curators of the auction, however, have recently began to up their game, moving the events from perhaps once a year at best to every few months. However, their collection is still sold at the same rate. To account for this depreciation, The Vermillion Auction has taken to more dubious methods.
Important Members
Rosanna and Atticus Sobolevi: The brother and sister duo at the head of the whole operation. Atticus Sobolevi is the numbers man, orchestrating the vast transfers of nuyen that occur at these events while Rosanna is the soul, selecting pieces and luring in buyers. They are opposite, where Atticus is grey and shrewd, Rosanna is bright and charismatic. Together, they manage their dubious legal operation. Supposedly, Rosanna can find anyone a work of art perfectly suited to their mood and desires while Atticus can ensure that the transaction is pleasantly kept hidden from prying eyes.
The Audience: A great many people have attended the Vermillion Auction. Politicians, royalty, corporate leaders and syndicate heads have all been spotted amongst the crowd. If someone is rich, important and fascinated by the artistic world, there is no doubt they have enjoyed a night at the Vermillion Auction.
Velsaie Clarion: One of the most common contributors to the gallery is Velsaie Clarion, a croki fey with ties all the way up to the Seelie court. They are obsessed with crafting the ultimate work of art, sourcing all sorts of obscure magical and mundane components for their work. They keep a retinue of servants, each one an art piece of their own, and frequently contract runners for acquiring inspiration or artistic materials and live in a tricked out penthouse apartment in downtown Seattle.
La Maisonnée Sans Fin: The house without end, is a French vampire coven and blood magic cult, preying on the region's conservative attitudes towards magic and offering an escape for those that feel stifled. It is hedonistic to the extreme, throwing extravagant parties with the wealth siphoned from the poor souls who fall into their fold. Those who are not deemed useful to be turned are typically fed upon or made subservient through the use of renfield, made to give up their savings, their magical essence and themselves to feed their vampiric cult leaders. They are also art lovers and one of the most prolific customers of The Vermillion Auction, with a particular interest in the portraits and miniatures of Adelaide Labille-Guiard.
Goals
Ensure the smooth running of the Vermillion Auction.
Make money and stay classy.
Collect works detailing the strange, untold past.
The Green Eyed Witch
The Green Eyed Witch is another enigmatic individual actor. A disgraced elvar, she has long since abandoned any attempts to regain her courtly status. Instead, she desires to expand her power and influence among the criminal sector, gain force and get back at the fey that have wronged her.
Goals
Gain force and power through spirit pacts
Mess with the fey court and their allies.
Runs
| Name | GM | Date | Runners |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chain Mail | Sleevey | 10 February 2085 | Kadō Lady Argentum Insonia Saint |
| Third-Story Malpractice | Sleevey | 11 January 2085 | Zenith Ashford Bunny Hop Crunch |
| Ash Replevin | Sleevey | 27 December 2084 | Oberon Fidem Gremlin Bunny Hop Knack Insonia Docteur Vega |
| Body Blocking | Sleevey | 30 September 2082 | Samsara Katherine Tyler Centipede Maestro |
| Caravan Train | Sleevey | 3 June 2082 | Pell Trample Cricket Orchid Ryōma |