Silent Legions solo - Part 12: Incipit horror

 

25 November, 9:06pm

Cat and Amit have braved a bitterly cold November night to pop down to the off licence. They scurry across an intersection, and dodge past the throng of beery punters on the pavement outside the corner pub, still whingeing after three years of the smoking ban. They've just about made it to the offie when Amit's mobile rings. He answers it, says a few quick words in Bangladeshi, then stops. "Sorry, Cat, gotta take this," he says, dumping a handful of coins into Cat's waiting hands, leaving her alone to brave the clerk's annoyance as she buys whatever lager is on offer with a pile of (mostly) silver.

[For the adventure proper, I used an admixture of normal Mythic scenes and the Adventure Template tables in the SL rulebook. The Chaos Level (per my MCSV) was set at a fixed level of Out-of-Control (1d8), which produces a good amount of Random Events, and qualified (and.../but...) results.

The first scene was definitely going to involve a lot of rolls to set up. So,

How did this all start?

Scene 1

Hook: A Friend from the site sends word asking for help due to intimations of a Secret or a recent Crime involving them.

Site: d6=East London (Tags: Black Market, Predator Entity)

Friend - Desperate local needing something illegal
Secret - The pact is delusional and the entity mindlessly hostile

Threads left over from last adventure: investigate kelipah, implant,
New threads: Angharad, the Chamber]

Cat & Amit

Cat comes back into the street, beaming with her good fortune -- the nice Polish stuff wot starts with Z was 4 for £4. But something in Amit's expression causes her elation to melt away.

"Who was it?" she asks after they get onto a quieter side street.

"D'ya ever meet Udar?"

"I don't think so, no."

"Him and his mate Rahi are sitting on some cloned debit cards for -- well, he didn't say who. They're due to deliver them [in 1d3 days] tomorrow, but Rahi is nowhere to be found. No one's seen him, his phone goes straight to voicemail... Udar thinks the stuff should probably still be at his flat."

"And he's rung you because...?"

"He's afraid he's being followed, and wants to live long enough to make the hand-off. Sooooo... fancy a trip out to Canning Town?"

"Fuck, I hate drinking on the bus."

. . .

Their destination is [1d12: 1-3 tower block, 4-6 terrace house, 7-10 council estate, 11-12 small flat block: 2] a tower block not terribly far from the bus station. It's easy enough to get in, slipping through front door as residents leave. It's less easy climbing the stairs up to the [1d12=] 7th floor.

"Ruddy lift's been out since he moved in 4 years ago," says Amit.

He knocks at Rahi's door, but there's no answer. He tried again, again nothing.
"Keep watch, will you?"

[Dex/Security 8+: A 2d6+1-1(unskilled)=11, success]

Amit uses an old student ID (fake, of course) to jimmy the lock, and they go inside.

[Q: What state is the flat in? Quietly / Macabre
Q: Where's the body? (1d6) 1 kitchen, 2 bathroom, 3 living room, 4 bedroom, 5 closet, 6 roll twice: 1

Int/Medicine 6+ to determine general cause of death: Cat 2d6+1-1:10]

They're only three steps from the door when they see the body lying contorted on the kitchen floor.

"Shit," says Cat. "Is that him?"

"Yeah. Fuck."

"Looks like an OD."

[Q: out of character? 50/50 (4+): O5 C8]

"You sure?"

"Uh, I've seen one or two..."

"I mean... it's just, like, he didn't have a habit. Wouldn't even smoke out in the flat. Didn't want to risk his deposit."

"Let's see if your mate's stuff is here and get out. Mind you don't leave any fingerprints."

[Q: Are the cards there? Unknown 1d6=3: O4 C5 - yes

Wis/Perception: Cat 2d6+1=11
vs.
Rahi's hiding roll 2d6+1=10: C wins]

They've not been looking long when Cat spots a loose floorboard beneath the faux-Persian carpet in the living room.

"I always wondered why he bought that hideous thing," says Amit.

Cat helps herself to a butter knife from the kitchen to prise up the loose board. Underneath is an old shoebox filled with a stack of bank cards...

[Q: Anything else inside? 50/50 (4+): O2 C3 - no, but...]

... and an empty box of 9mm ammo.

"We should look for a gun," says Amit.

[Search rolls: C 9, A 5 vs. Hide: 4]

The gun's sitting on the bedside table in plain sight.

"Let's take it," says Amit. "No use letting the cops find it. Besides, this'll settle a debt of ours."

[Q: Is there anything else to find? 50/50 (4+): O5 C5 - yes
+Event: Horror - PC (Mary) - perceive / horror

+1d6=5 Madness (to 5), horror TBD

Q: What else is found? Kookily / Empty]

Beneath the pistol is a slim book. The spine reads '2010 diary' in gold foil lettering, and the cover is a photo of a fluffy white kitten wearing a top hat: the finest pound shop purchase. Cat leafs through it cursorily. There are very few entries actually written in.

"We take this or leave it?"

"Take, I guess. Might be important."

They leave, and catch the bus back to Barking. Amit rings 999 to (anonymously) report the OD from a burner phone he took from the flat, then throws it in the water at Barking Park. Cat throws the butter knife in after it -- it has her fingerprints.

Amit meets Udar round the back of his uncle's restaurant near the bins. He hands over the bundle of cards, and tells him what they found.

[Q: Udar's reaction? Frantically / Hard]

Udar flies into a rage -- Cat can hear the shouting out on the street -- saying he's going to find the thug who murdered Rahi and make them pay. He's pretty sure he knows where to start, once he makes the hand-off.

Amit doesn't lose his cool, and talks him down gradually. [CHA/Persuade 10+: 2d6+2=14!] Udar sees sense in the end, and promises not to ruffle any feathers. He gives Amit 50 quid for his trouble, saying not to spend it all in one place.
"Mate, I'm so skint I can't afford to."


[Scene 2

Introduction: The PCs find themselves ensnared in a short Conflict with an agent of the Enemy, who thinks they’re easy pickings or has noticed their interest in affairs. A Friend notices the strife, and offers leads to the Investigations.

Enemy: maker of forbidden goods

Conflict : The thugs of the Enemy seek out the heroes to intimidate or thrash them into breaking off their investigations. The intended violence is unlikely to be lethal unless the Enemy is confident they can get away with it without stirring up yet more trouble.

Friend: Angharad (arbitrarily; still no idea who she is yet)]


26 November, 10:39am

When Amit and Cat leave their flat the next day, someone is waiting for them, a young Asian guy in an expensive tailored suit, with immaculate hair and neatly-trimmed beard. The glint of gold earrings matches the Rolex on his wrist. He gets out of his red jaguar and jogs across the street towards them.

Tihan

[Tihan the Enforcer
Age: Unusually young for their position.
Memorable Quirks: Immaculately well-kept or fashionable clothing
Social Standing: An unproven person or untrusted newcomer
Relation to Situation: Someone with a relative or friend as a victim of it
The Problem That Drives Them: They feel a great debt of honour towards someone involved.]

"It's Amit right? And Cat? We need to talk."

"We were on our way to the caf for breakfast," replies Amit.

"I'll treat you then. I could murder a full English!"

Tihan, as he introduces himself, is all sunlight and small talk until the waitress has brought coffee taken their orders. Then his demeanour changes ever so subtly, lending a disingenuous air to his smile.

"So, I've heard you've been talking to Udar. He's, shall we say, not made himself the most popular boy in school lately. A bit of friendly advice, try not to get mixed up in Rahi and Udar's affairs."

"I don't think Rahi is going to be doing much in the future," says Amit.

"Ha! There's probably a lesson in there somewhere."

Just then Tihan's mobile rings. He answers it, mumbles a few mmm-hmms, hangs up.

"I'm going to have to make my apologies," says Tihan, standing and throwing three tenners down on the table. "You can keep the change."

After breakfast, they head back to the flat so Amit can ring Udar.

"So, mate, your friend Tihan came to see us this morning for a friendly chat. What the fuck have you dropped us in?"

"It's not my fault. I didn't say anything to anyone, just handed over the goods and was done with it."

The phone is ripped from Udar's hand. Amit hears him start to protest, then abruptly stop. Then a woman speaks into the phone in a slow, measured voice.

"This isn't going to stop. You don't know me, but we need to meet. I have information that will be important to you. And a proposition to make. The coffee shop under the bridge by Mile End Park, be there in an hour. Both you and Cat. I'll tell you everything."

"Uh, how will we know who we're looking for?"

"I'll find you."

"Can I get a name at least?"

"Angharad."

The call cuts off. Amit looks quizzically at Cat. "Did you hear all that?"

"Yeah..."

"Curious, Miss Morland?"

"I do suppose we'd ought to go hear her out, Mr. Tilney."


[Scene 3

Q: What are the other PCs up to? (1d10): 1-3 earlier Investigation, 4-6 Ambush, 7-8 Investigation/Conflict contemporaneous with opening scene, 9-0 Investigation/Conflict contemporaneous with last scene
1d10=3

Q: Who? (1d12): 1-5 Elgin, 6-10 Mary, 11-12 both: 7

DI Mary Wang

Investigation: The Place has been ransacked by Enemy agents who are even now departing with the clue in a way that leaves a perceptible trail to follow. The PCs must catch up with them in time and take it back, either through violence or trickery.

Place: Kitchen for human flesh

Enemy: as above (maker of forbidden goods)]


a few days earlier...

21 November 8:06pm

Ever since meeting Cat, DI Mary Wang has been spending all her free time on 'extra-curricular' investigations. Tonight sees her doing surveillance on Brick Lane; she's discovered a kitchen not attached to any restaurant.

The crowds are thick this time of the evening, and the exhortations of the restaurateurs to every passer-by form a steady soundtrack to Mary's vigil. She's seriously considering giving up and getting a nice madras to warm her chilled bones when, from her vantage point across the street, she spies a group of [1d4+1=] four people in black hoodies turn suddenly down the alleyway wherein lies the kitchen's entrance.

[Stats as (d16): 1-3 cultist, 4-5 heavy, 6 cult enforcer: 1332; d6=mfff

I'd given Mary a 9+ Wis/Perception check to notice them: 2d6+2=6, failure. So, I spent a point of Expertise to re-roll, as it's a class skill: 2d6+2=13]

Whilst pretending to make a phone call, she sees them stop at the kitchen's door and look round suspiciously, so she wanders out of sight. She crosses the street and doubles back to stand against the wall right outside the alleyway. She hears a dull thud, followed by two others in rapid sequence; they're forcing the door open. After a few moments of silence, she hears more thudding and shattering glass. When it stops, she moves briskly away to get lost in the crowd.

[Q: Do the cultists split up? unlikely (5+): O5 C7 - yes

8+ Dex/Stealth to get close: 2d6+2=14]

She watches the four eventually emerge from the alleyway, and split off into two pairs each walking a different way. Two of them head up the street towards Mary, but she's certain they haven't noticed her. The other two are carrying plastic lunch boxes which they certainly didn't have before. Mary follows them south towards Whitechapel. She makes sure their comrades are out of sight, then rushes right up to tap one on the shoulder. The young woman turns round to find Mary's badge in her face.

"I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions."

[Reaction: 2d6=7, neutral]

"Uh, what about?"

"I'm looking into a series of burglaries in the neighbourhood."

"Oh, we're don't live round here. Just out for a curry."

Of course they would say that. Mary opts for a direct approach.

"I see. Did you find one? In that little kitchen, I mean. They just do takeaway, or what?"

"Oh, er, no. Just dropping off some fliers."

"Fliers? What for?"

"It's, um a concert. For charity."

"Sounds ace! Got any left?"

"Those were our last ones."

[Mary needs 9+ CHA/Persuasion to keep this from going pear shaped. 2d6-1=6...

Cultist's reaction is (1d3): 1 fight, 2 flight, 3 half & half: 2]

The two women take off running. Mary immediately gives chase, yelling "Stop! Police!"

[Dex/Athletics 2d6+0=5 vs. 2d6=3, she catches up.
Unarmed attack to tackle AC9, d20+1-2(unskilled)+9=20, just hits; 1d2=2 damage, to 1hp]

Mary makes an ungainly tackle, but and ends up sprawled on top of the woman who yelps when her ribs smack against the kerb. The lunch box skitters a few feet away. She tries to wriggle out from beneath Mary, but winds up with an arm pinned  to the asphalt and a knee in her back.

[tries to break hold: attack succeeds; M's attack also succeeds, so she stays pinned.]

"Somebody get the police!" shouts Mary into the gathering crowd. "Tell 'em I need backup." [CHA/Persuade 6+: 2d6-1=6]

A pair of PCs are fortunately nearby to help her take charge of the prisoner. Mary dons a pair of gloves before collecting the lunch box from the pavement, and hazards a look inside. She is rewarded by the sight of a pair of livers sandwiched between plastic ice packs.

"Ugh!" She snaps the box shut.

Mary is in the local station until very late making her report. She says she happened to see the suspect forcing a door open with three others, then heard them smashing the place up. She doesn't mention what she was doing in neighbourhood, but having been Brick Lane at 8pm, no one thinks to ask.

[Q: Does the coroner's report make it to Mary's ears? Likely (3+): O4 C2 - yes, and...]

Mary spends the next few days at work listening all the office gossip, hoping for some news about the suspect she chased down or any subsequent investigations, but the rumour mill is extraordinarily quiet. Then, on Thursday morning, she gets a call from the Tower Hamlets coroner. [d6=] She can't comment on the investigation, but she thinks Mary would be interested to know that they were, in fact, human livers in the lunch box.

Somehow Mary knew it in the pit of her stomach, but hearing the coroner confirm it sends her head spinning. She asks the coroner if they could meet up in the evening to discuss it further over dinner. [8+ Persuade 2d6-1=10] The coroner readily agrees, and asks if she has some place in mind. Mary suggests a place on Brick Lane; she still kinda wants that madras.

Mary spends the rest of the day researching old cases, missing persons later found dead and missing parts. The coroner, interest piqued, does the same. The evidence is sparse, but goes back decades. They discuss the findings, most of which predate her time (she's been in the job there for [1d20=] only a year.

The coroner notes two weird things, the first being that, despite proximity of the murders to Whitechapel, the papers have been utterly restrained in not drawing Jack the Ripper parallels. But more importantly, it seems that the families of deceased were seldom the ones who reported victims missing. [mysterious - uncertainty - community]

26 November 11:56pm

[this is the Event from Scene 1 : Horror - PC (DI Wang) - perceive / horror]

The next day, Mary stays late at work. Her colleagues have all teased her about spending her Friday night chained to a desk. The cleaners hoovered round her and went home.

Mary swears as her monitor goes suddenly dark. She looks up to find the power has gone out all over the building. She sits in dark for a few moments waiting for emergency lights, but they don't come on. She fumbles for her phone to use as a torch.

She hears steps behind her, then jumps at the touch of a clammy hand on her shoulder. Before she can look she is yanked from her seat, spun round, and thrown bodily on top of her desk. Claws rip at her stomach, tearing out her bleeding liver.

She wakes with a start. Everything is normal. She switches off her computer and goes home, still a little shaken. As she's changing for bed she discovers a livid bruise across her abdomen [-1hp]. She wants to tell Cat, but assumes she'll be out for the evening so takes a sleeping pill instead. The next morning she rings soon as she wakes up.

"Cat, it's Mary. Something... something horrible happened. Can I see you?"


next post: meeting Angharad