The Chronicles of Ceteri B-Team: Season 3, Session 1 – Don’t Come a Knocking

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.”
  • Henry H. Norris (played by Rory F.): The Detective and Shooter. 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 story this season starts off with Henry Norris, a private investigator in training that has been taking cases of his own for the past year. He’s been recently hired by a man convinced that his wife cheating on her. Her attitude have recently changed and there’s some possibility of her having gotten plastic surgery considering how much her looks have changed from the old photographs. He’s been staked out at their home for several weeks when he sees two people double park a car and run towards the door. One of them kicking in the door as the other facepalms. Why is it that no one thinks of just knocking on the door?

Axing Questions

Amos, Henry, and Lorenzo
Kudrow Residence
Sunday, August 20th, 2001, 6:00 pm
19 Hamlet St., Boston, MA 02125

A scream comes from slightly within the house as they move past the door and see the husband and wife on the floor, with him trying to wrestle a knife away from her. Henry, alerted by the noise and being close, storms from his car and through the door while drawing his weapon. Lorenzo, dropping the axe, moves to grapple the wife. She gives him look that’s one-part murder, more parts come hither. Amos draws his staff-sling and exclaims that they’re there to help while the man is trying to figure out what’s going on.

Henry aims his firearm at Amos and Lorenzo telling them to freeze causing the husband to put his hands in the air. Lorenzo attempts to wrest a ring from the woman’s hand, but they’re rather slippery. Amos, in the meantime, is a bit dismissive of the gun and tells him to put the gun away before he kills someone while extending his new staff-sling weapon. Henry’s vision is drawn to the ring that Lorenzo is trying to remove it. There’s something wrong with it and Henry tries to keep his weapon aimed at both strangers.

Lorenzo attempts to remove the ring from her, managing to pull it off and tosses it to Amos who manages to snatch it out of the air hearing whispers and tells it to shut up before bagging it up with it still being rather angry as they think about to do. The wife changes from looking like Jessica Rabbit back to a normal housewife while Henry threatens the two men with his gun. A few seconds later, the husband and wife are tearfully apologizing to each other. Henry is very confused by what’s going on when a voice rings in his head telling him to go with the two men while the husband pays for Henry’s services. Henry is even more confused when Amos only asks for where she bought the ring before Henry tries to escort the two out and asks what’s going on.

They give a quick explanation outside that they were getting the cursed ring using other cursed items to track it down. Henry can’t quite comprehend it until Lorenzo mentions a TV series. Amos, in the meantime, realizes that they’re currently in the middle of the street, having broken down the door and currently having a gun drawn on them. Amos lets Henry know that they’re going to go get some lunch and he’s free to follow them.

The Last Call

Amos, Henry, and Lorenzo
Kudrow Residence
Sunday, August 20th, 2001, 7:00 pm
45 Union St. Boston, MA 02108

They arrive at The Last Call where once they go into the back room, Henry is almost dazed by all the strange persons sitting there. They lead him to an empty table and sit down, almost like it was their normal table only to be confronted by a small pixie who is offended by the new guy before Amos offers them the usual for guarding their table. Haunted by tales of eating fae food, Henry takes out a canteen from his backpack before Amos warns him no outside food and drink.

The waitress, Merry, comes along shortly to take their orders, scoffing at Amos and his Death Wings complaining that it always singes her eyebrows off. But about fifteen minutes later, she comes back with a large appetizer platter and Amos’s wings as they discuss things, namely that Henry was doing a horrible job as a bodyguard if that’s why he’s there before he finally exposes himself as a Private investigator by showing his IDs. Amos is able to remember his name as a Lorna Rd. survivor which he notes on, before triggering Henry’s memory that they were also from Lorna Rd.

Aftermath

They explain a little bit to Henry, telling him that they’re planning on neutralizing the ring the best they can in something a bit more secure than a hastily prepared Ziploc baggie. Giving Henry his address and offering to give him some quick lessons since Henry seemed to want to help them help get the cursed items off the streets. Exchanging contact information they separate. Henry to investigate these two odd people and Amos and Lorenzo back to Mr. Friendly’s shop to secure the cursed item with the rest.

That night, Henry has a strange dream of a doll holding hands with a little girl, seeing them only from the back until the doll’s head turns around and screams, causing him to wake in a cold sweat.

After Action Report (GM)

Today’s first session back in the Ceteri-saddle was short. I’m still getting back into the feel of the campaign itself and that always takes a bit. Take into account the broad shake up of players and characters and even I got a bit of whiplash. Rory (aka Refplace) joined my B-Team and so far so good there. The change of the campaign thrust from hunting monsters to hunting cursed objects seemed to go over well. That’s not to say that I won’t have them still hunting things that go bump, but we have a good method of operation and I think it fits with what’s going on.

The other characters? Devin just disappeared from sight and memory. He’s still scrambled in the local mists and it’s easy to remove him. Gabriel? He went off with Caoimhe to refound the Order of St. Eustace. Kamali? He was led away by Mr. Black (his angelic patron) to do something he couldn’t discuss. That just leaves Amos and Lorenzo holding down the fort. We’ll see how that goes.

Other Notes

This was a short 2-hour session thanks to me getting back into my GMing shoes.

Bonus report by Rory is here.

Soundtrack

“I Won’t Back Down” by Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers
“Trampoline” by Shaed
Burning House” by Cam

Posted in Session Recap and tagged , , , .

2 Comments

  1. Whenever I read your session reports I realize that GURPS is really the best way to do so many things. I love Classic Traveller, and it’s the main thing I run, but for every oddball interesting setting or campaign GURPS is so great.

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