Dramatis Personae
- Ekaterini Tsakalidis aka The Lady of Laundry (played by Chepe): Godling of Hygieia and Minerva. Face-changing clothes-horse with history as a Mob assassin and crime-scene cover-up artist. Tagline: “Never let them see you sweat.”
- Tercallus aka Callum “Cal” Parker (played by Will): Theogenic Demigod. Thrill-seeking, jaded, time-warping high stakes gambler coalesced into existence over a decade ago in an alley outside a casino for reasons unknown. Tagline: “Time is malleable.”
- Theroikon (played by Jenn D.). Theogenic demigod. Patron of urban wildlife. Shapeshifter, naturalist, and the party’s literal though somewhat reluctant combat monster. Tagline: “Mess with my people and I’ll show you a silent spring.”
- Winfred Timotheos aka The Friend (Played by Chris D.): Demigod of Philotes. The friendliest person you could hope to meet in Las Vegas and leader of a philanthropic Society/Cult. Tagline: “You know they say that a stranger is just a friend you haven’t met yet, and it’s nice to meet you.”
- Arnold Zahn (NPC): Son of Ares. Has a deathwish. Drunk. Tagline: “How about that drink?”
- Julie Wilms aka The Assistant (Winfred’s Ally): Human, probably. Former covert agent turned convert. Now spends her time assisting, guarding, and herding Winfred. Tagline: “Time to go, Sir.”
- Sarah J. Pokorny (NPC): Daughter of Thoth. Magician. Capable as hell. Tagline: “I may be in a wheelchair but I’ll kick your ass.”
Previously . . .
Outside of the mine where Solomon had purchased, the Turtles had managed to take down Solomon while the thing possessing Solomon had managed to get away. They have to decide what to do with the bodies of the mummies, and if they’re going to be talking to Ruby about things. There’s discussion about Cal using his psychometry abilities to determine the origin of the undead mummies, getting all kinds of random flashes of images. They were brought from the south to ensure that He-Who-Cannot-Die is kept separated, his body, soul, and heart and to guard the jars in the afterlife as a reward and duty, but He-Who-Cannot-Die managed to slowly corrupt their ideals and bring them to his side. The jar that Solomon had was the jar containing the soul, which has now flown off.
Let’s Do The Time Warp!
Ekaterini Tsakalidis, Tercallus, Theroikon, and Winfred Timotheos
Cold Strike Gold Mine
Monday January 23rd, 2012, 0830 hours
41°14’10.6″N 74°43’44.6″W, Nevada
Inside Solomon’s tent is a bunch of trinkets that Silver was looking for, and just a bunch of random things that he had grabbed along with finer detailed maps. Trying to figure out what exactly was going on, they’ve got a choice of either investigating the mine or following the black smoke of He-Who-Cannot-Die, they’ll be hard pressed to do both. Even considering going for the third site to defend it. Solomon isn’t in the best shape either, having been mind raped for the past couple days and basically in a daze after realizing what all he’s been going through.
They decide to utilize Cal’s time powers to reconnoiter the mine after Thero shoves Solomon into the Maybach and leaves the AC on along with the stolen trinkets, they’ll meet up partway and activate the time tunnel. Everything sorta has a purple tinge inside the time tunnel and head for the second mine. Looking around, they see an old abandoned mine with a cave entrance shored up by timber. Trying to enter the cave entrance, they’re blocked by a semi-solid wall preventing further progress inside. Ekaterini determines it’s some kind of ward versus aetheric effects and appears completely absent of life and unlife outside the entrance. They drop outside of the timestop from there.
And They Call It A Mine, Part II
Ekaterini Tsakalidis, Tercallus, Theroikon, and Winfred Timotheos
Very Very Golden Harry Gold Mine
Monday January 23rd, 2012, 0835 hours
41.23712492007738, -74.72800417610604, Nevada
Outside of the time stop, the barrier preventing them from entering is gone. From down one of the tunnels, they hear weird sounds, the sound of chants and grunting. Theroikon heads down the tunnel to check with a few others to follow behind. In one of the corridors leading further in is a natural opening off the wall leading further in. Moving in cautiously, they hear gurgling and then everything goes dark as the flashlights flicker out and even Theroikon’s darkvision goes for a moment before coming back. They charge down the passageway, seeing several undead warriors in a large cavern filled with bones.
There’s definite unnatural smells in here to Thero, such as insects and something else strangely mixed in with the natural scents. The suggested plan is to gun them down until they get close enough for hand-to-hand fighting, but the idea of some mage out there that would cast death spells upon them is a horrible feeling, especially with the undead staring in their direction. Even while they’re trying to sneak up, they still seem to be tracking the group. Even with as close as they get, the undead don’t seem to react when they’re still over ten yards away.
Ekaterini starts aiming for the left-most undead while Cal starts his time dilation abilities. Ekaterini aims up quite well and fires at one of the undead’s skulls, who dodges to the side. Cal moves forwards and looks around a corner, only to get snapped at by something around the corner on the ceiling, being grappled and harmed. It’s a giant looking scorpion looking monster with the torso and bust of a man wielding two obsidian swords.
Julie takes a step forward and waits to see what happens. Ekaterini takes a step forwards and fires a three shot burst at the monster, Colotlokichtli (henceforth referred to as Colo) but misses all rounds. Colo drags Cal towards the undead, worrying the demigod and bringing the demigod to near death from being hit by one of the obsidian sword as another pincer snaps at Cal, “killing” him. Theroikon, temporarily still sped up, activates his strength and charges forwards to attack Colo with an all-out attack to its torso before preparing to defend against the reprisal. Zahn, excited by the sight before him, charges forwards into death. Winfred wanders a bit further into the cavern behind Julie.
Julie runs closer and fires at the Colo with a shotgun, the slug seeming to just bounce off of the scorpion’s carapace. Ekataterini sheathes her pistol, draws a rapier, and toughens up her clothing before stepping forwards. Colo drops Cal and turns to Theroikon, attacking with pincers and swords, managing to get Theroikon in the digestive tract while missing with attacks, Thero manages to parry its stinger and severs the tail upon a parry. Zahn runs forwards, slashing at Colo but missing both times. Winfred moves forward and casts Celerity upon Julie, speeding her up as the undead charge towards them.
Julie pulls the machete from her back and chops at one of the undead’s necks. Ekaterini swings at one of the undead’s legs, removing one leg and damaging another. Colo attacks Thero and Zahn with a pincer and sword each, damaging one of Zahn’s ankles and drops the sword and fails to strike with his pincer against Thero, stumbling past the two demigods. Thero strikes at Colo, striking through one of his pincers. Winfred does nothing.
Julie strikes at another undead that dodges the blow. Ekaterini strikes at the two before her, barely scratching one of them. Colo turns towards Thero who is now the most dangerous foe before them and attacks with a pincer which Thero rips off with a really aggressive parry. Thero attacks again, ripping through its torso and killing it. Zahn, angry at his denied death, steps over and kills the final undead.
Aftermath
Winfred and Ekaterini head over to Cal, with Ekaterini fussing more over Cal’s clothing while Winfred casts a Greater Healing on Cal and brings him back to consciousness, he immediately activates his regeneration field to heal himself and Theroikon. Winfred identifies the thing which is a Scorpionman from the Aztec underworld and summonable by a dark sorcerer. It prefers dark places where it can squeeze in and wait for prey but the dark sorcerer is not present. It’s assumed that it probably left between the hike that Thero took between the mine and the car and the car to the group. Most of the Turtles gather up the swords and the gold jewelry from the undead and scorpionman. Cal uses his psychometry on the gold, and gets a long, winding vision of the Aztecs travelling and self-mummifying themselves after sealing the jars. They didn’t realize how much control they have over the dead as He-Who-Cannot-Die had and they got corrupted. He gets to see Solomon drawing the jar from the ground and become unnaturally fascinated with it. From this location, He-Who-Cannot-Die was able to take his heart back from a now empty jar within a small crevasse which they take with them. Cal ages their opponents into dust leaving the bones and heads out towards the third location.
After Action Report (GM)
This session only lasted a couple of hours because my glucose was seesawing. But it lasted long enough to get the PCs further interested in what the hell was going on and a quick fight with some more undead and a a colotlokichtli (“scorpion man”). I made up the latter but it seemed appropriate giving the mythology they were dealing with. The fight wasn’t anything spectacular, but the PCs did their jobs well and while it didn’t last I got to use dynamic lighting to full effect creating a claustrophobic and cramped experience. The PCs loved it. Overall, a really good session leading up to the next and we’ll see how that one goes.
Other Notes
None.
Soundtrack
“Only the Strong” by Flaw
“Ghost of Floyd Collins” by Black Stone Cherry
“Songs for the Soul” by Tonantzin