Walking in the Aztech Sun
| Walking in the Aztech Sun | |||||||||
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| Factions Involved | |||||||||
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ShadowHaven Informer | Aztechnology | ||||||||
| Delphi |
Azzie Blood Mage Jaguar Guards | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
| A lot | |||||||||
| This was an initiation run for Delphi | |||||||||
Summary
In which Delphi is pulled into the rescue of one of her worst enemies
Background
After the events of Of the Goddess of Love Delphi has not had a chance to be contacted by The Pantheon, but has been aware that Pythia, the erstwhile leader of the group was captured by Aztechnology and is being used by her captors as a powerful seer.
"I knew the gentleman was trouble as soon as he walked in"
Spending some time relaxing after making more money than she had ever seen in her life, Delphi is spending her day in her office when there is a knock at her door. After checking through the cameras, she sees a dapper dryad man on the other side, holding a cane with a sun emblazoned on the handle. Recognizing this figure as Apollo, one of the members of the Pantheon and Pythia's husband, Delphi lets him in and he gives her a very expensive bottle of whiskey as a gift for taking his meeting.
The PI asks what the man wants, and Apollo explains that he knows where Pythia is, which is to say, the 100th floor of the Aztechnology Pyramid, also known as the sun chamber, and that the megacorporation is planning to sacrifice Pythia in order to create a Great Form Spirit with her powers of divination. Obviously wanting to prevent this for many reasons, Apollo asks Delphi for her assistance, and promises that he will repay her with an introduction to his talismonger and pay for a weapon focus, much like his own cane. Delphi asks if there's any time restriction, and Apollo mentions that there is a day special to the Azlanders approaching. The "Day of the Sun", where rituals can be performs to become a "Chosen of the Sun" and channel a sun god's power. Apollo says that will be the day that Pythia is sacrificed, and that there is a woman coming in from Aztlan to perform the ritual, a channeling expert and blood mage.
After looking to Oracle for guidance, Delphi agrees to assist Apollo with the rescue, and the man leaves. Leaving the run-down PI to figure out what favors to call in so as to not die.
Plain Speaking and Clear Understanding
Before being able to consider exactly what it is that she's signed up for, Delphi is greeted by Shifu, the Bandit Familiar of Hanako Shinoda. Shifu brings with him a bowl of Ramen and a commlink on which Hanako calls the detective. She tells Delphi that she had a "feeling" that the runner was about to do something foolish, and offers her assistance. Offering to send a squad of Shiawase HTR support for her assault on the pyramid. Delphi understands that this will result in several dozen, if not hundreds, dead and that it will justify Pythia position even more. Telling the corporate seer to slot an angry bear, she hangs up and destroys the link, throwing Shifu out of her office.
Delphi decides that she needs more assistance, but has a plan for getting into the pyramid. Knowing that the leylines have been converging underneath the pyramid, she plans to use Corf in order to sneak in underneath the pyramid and make her way up. Pulling on some favors that she's used, she contacts Spear, the club owner and former shadowrunner that she freed from a blood Gaes, Informer, Kathryn "Aphrodite" Riviera and Artemis, another member of The Pantheon that has been living with Informer ever since the assault on their fortress. Deciding to meet at Lucky's Garage, where she first found the tunnel where the leylines were being subverted, the group come together and don disguises and Ares Industrial suits, pretending to be maintenance with codes that Aphrodite has from her time working in Aztechnology. The group meet with Corf and make their way to the reactor room beneath the pyramid.
Too Slick for your own Good
The group begin to ascend the pyramid. Relying chiefly on Delphi and Apollo's facing ability to convince the security that they are meant to be there, and even takes some time to listen to some complaints and fix a vending machine. Eventually meeting up with the Foreman of the pyramid and convincing him that they are meant to go to the 80th floor, he grants them access with a card and lets them up.
From there, the group must contend with the Jaguar guards that are securing the upper levels, and through a convincing con job, Delphi is able to convince the guard that they are messengers sent to inform the visiting blood mage that there is something wrong. The group is escorted through the pyramid and to the 100th floor, the sun chamber, and see a ritual going forward. An incomplete Great Form Blood spirit is curled around Pythia, and Delphi gets Apollo to cast an illusion around the top of the chamber to make it look as though there is an eclipse, nearly knocking himself out with drain. The blood mage attempts to complete the ritual anyway, and Artemis and Spear leap in to try and stop them.
Delphi uses the opportunity to free Pythia from the spikes embedded in her hands and feet, and punches the dragon-like Blood spirit in the face, narrowly avoiding the return assault and directing the team to pin the blood mage leading the ritual to the wall. Feeling the hum of unstable mana as the ritual is disrupted, the group head for the roof. Sealing the heavy stone door behind them and listening to the sound of the magical explosion and surely ended the life of several Aztechnology mages and security guards. The group make their way to the roof and hold a helicopter pilot at gunpoint, Delphi, between her bleeding group and the crazed look in her eyes, intimidates the pilot to fly them away, and the group breaks up and goes their own way while Aphrodite destroys the evidence of their escape.
Aftermath
Returning to her office. Delphi discusses with Oracle about how this will affect Pythia, and receives a letter from Apollo thanking the detective for her work, and giving her an address for a talismonger who will make her a weapon focus.
Rewards
- IG6 Discount
- Weapon Focus Rating 6 (Mortimer of London 'Belgrave' Sword Cane) - 11 RVP
- 15 Karma - 15 RVP
- 12 CDP - 5 RVP + 2 from default
- Prime Data Haven Membership (The Nexus) - 7 RVP
Game Quotes
Player After Action Reports (AARs)
Delphi
Wow. Just... wow... frag I need a drink after that.
I literally cannot believe that I'm alive right now, much less Pythia and everyone else. Not that she'll be grateful or anything, but... yeah, it feels nice to have gotten her out of there. Nobody deserves to be sacrificed and turned into a blood spirit, even her. It was good that all those folks came out to help, I'm grateful for that. Couldn't have done it without them. Maybe there's something to all that 'power of friendship' drek that they're always talking about in the trids. I dunno. It was just good to get a win over Aztechnology after everything that they did leading up to this.
I think I need to do more reading on rituals though. This doesn't feel like the end of all this ley line drek. Maybe these access codes for the Nexus will help with that.