Dramatis Personae
- Amos M. Humiston (Played by Chris D): The Linguist, Librarian, and Leader (Temporary). He is the brains to the rest of the group’s brawn. Recently Amos has completed a double Masters in Library & Information Science Archives and History and has also managed to get a rather special job lined up, if he can ever get around to it.. Tagline: “True alchemists do not change lead into gold; they change the world into words.”
- Dillon J. Lynch (Played by Calvin J): The Tough Guy and a master of knives and fists. He is in search of his brother that he never knew he had. He bears a strong sense of duty and strives to do the right thing. He is broke, new to town, and new to this. Whatever this is… Tagline: “Yeah, I brought a knife to a gun fight.”
- Henry H. Norris (played by Rory F.): The Detective and Shooter. Not the smartest, fastest, strongest, or toughest of the team, but perhaps the best rounded. He is a classic overachiever, always trying to make up for past failures and even limited successes by working harder and smarter. Life caught him unprepared once, and he does not want that to ever happen again. That attitude and certain knacks have earned him a good income and a respectable place in Boston society. Henry is new to the group, having met under less than auspicious circumstances and is the religious member of the group. Devoted follower of Horus before really understanding what that even means but it just felt right. Tagline: “If he can see it he can shoot it, and he sees really good!”
- Lorenzo J. de Modouco (played by Christian G.): A man with movie star looks and a voice that belongs on the radio. Slowly coming to grips with the fact that he isn’t exactly human, but a “Lupus Dei” – “Wolf of God” – otherwise known as a Benandanti. Lorenzo’s been a firefighter employed by the Boston Fire Department for a couple of years. This gives him access to places he normally shouldn’t be able to go as well as medical gear and information that might not be available to the public. He’s become a master of spear fighting and is a highly capable combatant. He’s been helping Amos collect cursed objects and Tagline: “You can take me to the gates of Hell, but I won’t back down and I won’t be turned around.”
Previously . . .
The team are in tight quarters in the kitchen area of the house, quietly debating on what they need to do when William steps forwards and slashes at Dillon’s fingers who draws and parries with his own knife in one smooth motion before drawing forth another knife and thrusting back, aiming for the vitals but are parried. Lorenzo activates his shield and steps forward to bash William’s head but instead gets caught with a judo parry. Henry takes aim at William’s head and fires three rounds that are dodged. Amos’s attempt at summoning a reactive warding does nothing as a necklace flashes on William’s neck and it washes over, which surprises William.
Billy Bedlam Vs.
Amos, Dillon, Henry, and Lorenzo
The Old Mitchell Place
Saturday, February 16th, 2002, 4:30 pm
124 Lorna Rd, Mattapan, MA 02126
William judo throws Lorenzo and then slashes at Dillon’s neck but there’s a successful defense as Dillon parries them before stabbing back only to be parried. Lorenzo, on the ground, rolls onto his back and attempts to stab William’s foot to the ground. Henry fires two more shots which William dodges while Amos identifies the necklace as an Aegis necklace, old world protective charm that either provides a huge bonus to resisting supernatural effects or provide armor against damaging effects making him effectively immune to magic.
William attempts to kick Lorenzo in the nuts, which is blocked, before turning to Dillon grabbing, slashing and generally living up to his historical persona which Dillon defends against before stabbing back once again, his first blow getting parried and then Dillon’s second attack is met with a judo grapple. Lorenzo rolls out of the way and into a crouching position while Henry reloads his firearm miraculously fast and fires off several rounds at William, missing twice while William parries one of the slugs with his rather robust knife while Amos drops another spell he recently learned, Paling, surrounding William who says it won’t hold him long and starts chanting a dispelling spell.
Dillon throws two shuriken through the wall, managing to stick one in William’s leg finally to seemingly no effect while Lorenzo stabs through to another parry. Henry considers his options and fires another two shots at William who dodges them. Amos draws and loads another herbal, a summon insect spell, that William barely manages to catch with his foot, balancing it.
Dillon strikes back, his attack dodged, while Lorenzo manages to barely strike William in the wrist with his spear. Henry, knowing what spell Amos cast was, fast draws another gun and aims at William’s head and vitals and fires several shots at William defending against them with exceptional ease. Amos moves his staffsling and scoops up the hot teakettle on it.
William easily completes his spell and manages to dispel Amos Paling without any effort while Dillon’s slashes to the neck are parried and Lorenzo’s stab from the back is dodged, same with Henry’s next two shots while Amos finally slings the teakettle below William’s feet only slightly burning him. William’s reaction is to launch Amos’s herbal into the air and grab it with his boot before activating a charm of his own and speeding up past Henry and stabbing him in the side, Henry only barely managing to dodge the two strikes.
Dillon throws several knives at William but doesn’t manage to actually hit once again while Lorenzo moves forwards, avoiding slipping on the water on the floor, waiting for William to get close to attack him while calling for Henry to get behind him and he scrambles for the couch. Amos draws out one pastille and drops it on the lit stove to absolutely no effect, though a lovely smell of flowers penetrates the house.
William charges forwards, which Lorenzo intercepts and causes him to drop everything he’s holding, the herbal breaking on the ground and stinging insects being summoned.
But William is unconcerned with it, sticking several knives into Lorenzo’s face and then repeating the trick with Dillon, hitting him in the head with a knife that sticks in his head before leaning back to defend. Dillon’s return strikes miss while Lorenzo attempts to give a quick patch job. Henry starts firing wildly at William, desperate to get a hit off and missing several times as William dodges. The swarm that the herbal summoned doing no real damage.
William steps forwards and stabs towards Lorenzo who manages to defend against his attacks alongside Dillon. Dillon, manages to get a strike back slashing the ripper in the throat while Lorenzo fights back to no avail. Henry swaps his prayer to Ra and then fires at William’s vitals which are again dodged to no effort. The insects land on William as Amos tries to convince him to stop stabbing them to no avail, apparently the master doesn’t care if they’re injured as William brags that he covered the knives with his own shit. Not very impressed, Amos gives up and leans against the counter with arms crossed waiting for his death.
Dillon stabs through Henry’s abdomen and then trades blows with Dillon while dodging all the time. Lorenzo’s blows are equally ineffective while Henry rushes past them into the garage, breaking a greater succor charm to heal himself. Amos continues to stand there waiting for his turn to get stabbed.
William keeps stabbing into Lorenzo, nearly killing him and knocking him unconscious. Dillon strikes back against the slippery foe. Henry aims through the wall with his Clear Sight and fires several rounds through the wall, finally landing one shot on William’s head to no effect as Amos keeps standing there.
William keeps stabbing at Dillon who keeps up with him attack for attack before moving back next to Amos with Dillon following him, attempting to attack William again to no avail. Lorenzo is passed out and Henry’s shots do nothing.
William gets frustrated by Amos’s lack of movement and he takes Amos’s hand and presses it down on the lit stove which Amos takes without a whimper and when William demands that he do something, Amos merely tells him that he passes as third-degree blisters form on his palm. Dillon, attempting to help Amos, has his attacks dodged and one of Henry’s shots manages to hit him once more. Amos’s defiance unnerves William enough to let go of Amos’s hand and sheathe his knife walking out of the house while still dodging Henry’s bullets.
Aftermath
Dillon tries help Lorenzo with first aid while Amos directs him, and when Henry comes back into the main room where Amos coldly demands that Henry heals Lorenzo since he has access to Greater Succor. Drawing forth a charm, he heals up Lorenzo back to consciousness while Amos helps by spreading garlic over Lorenzo’s wounds too while they all treat each other, with Lorenzo managing to ministrant Amos’s hand to the point where it is moveable.
They drop a line to Henry’s friend and they’re hauled downtown to the station where they have to wait for the police to interrogate them with Lorenzo and Henry doing the majority of the talking as Amos stands there and nods diplomatically. When the family confirms their tale, they’re let out of the police station with a standing ovation from the other police there. They head back out with Dillon having to rest up to recover with everyone’s help.
After Action Report (GM)
This one was hard for a couple of reasons. First, I’ve had Billy written up for a while now – he’s the half brother of Dillon and Timothy. He was a peer to Mr. Friendly and works directly for Friendly and their boss (who has not yet been revealed). Second, the PCs were going into a fight against a foe I knew was superior. They couldn’t just let Billy walk away after everything he did. Didn’t mean they’d win, but it meant they couldn’t try to stop him. Third, I didn’t pull any punches. The PCs fought HARD to survive and it was survival. This was a win only in that they didn’t die and that was all thanks to Chris D. He deduced that Billy was trying to get them to fight them so he could plausibly kill them – Amos’s stunt with the stove was just so badass and perfect and it wasn’t even really a combat thing. The PCs had fun – I asked. They were disheartened by losing, but it was a combat that lasted 21 turns and about 3.5 hours. It was brutal and they fought for every scrap. The key thing I think is that while fighting they kept doing new things and new tactics and that is exciting to me as a GM. They didn’t give up in the face of superior odds. It was always “Welp, that didn’t work. What next?” We’ll be talking about this one for a while.
Other Notes
Bonus report here.
Soundtrack
“Bedlam” by Elvis Costello and the Imposters (Opening Song)
“Bodies” by Drowning Pool
“Enter Sandman” by Metallica (Closing Song)