Michaelmas Term 2007 - History (Ancient and Modern)

[Ezeze]

The Reverend Dr. David Beaumont, Professor Emeritus

Luck □ □ □ □ □ □ □

Harm □ □ □ | □ □ □ □

Experience □ □ □ □ □

 

"A spirit?" David asks, with more alarm than he'd reacted to any of Alice's other news. He looks to his right, out into the already-busy pub, to make sure no one is eavesdropping. They aren't, but he lowers his voice to whisper anyway. "Necromancy?"

 

David has Opinions about necromancy. To him, disturbing the rest of the hallowed dead seems a particularly egregious affront to God.

[emotionaut]

Sophie

●○ the Monstrous ○●

StatsCharm -2, Cool +2, Sharp 0, Tough 0, Weird +3

Harm: ○○○ / ○○○○

Unstable: ○

Luck:  ○○○○○○○

Exp:  ○○○○○

Moves

Unnatural AppealRoll +Weird instead of +Charm when you manipulate someone.

Dark NegotiatorYou can use the manipulate someone move on monsters as well as people, if they can reason and talk.

IC

Sophie feels Alice and David well before she sees them. Eyes in the back of her head doesn't quite do it justice. Wouldn't work with any old dosser at her back, but well enough with people she knows. She approaches their booth and asks, “What's the story so far? Wait, hold the thought. I see we're drinkin' away, now. I'll see about catchin' up.”

She heads to the bar and orders her customary lemonade with extra ice. While she waits for it, she closes her eyes and lets the surface feelings of those in the tavern wash over her. She doesn't catch anything other than the usual by the time her sweaty glass arrives, which is just fine by her. Plenty to fret over without anything else being amiss tonight.

However, by the time Sophie returns to Alice and David, she hears they've already broached the subject of what went amiss last night. She joins their conversation without missing a beat, saying, "Not sure it was necromancy. Could've been a lot of things, really. Doubt she knew what she was ringin' up. But to hear others tell, sometimes those are the worst ways to go about it. Openin' a line to what's out there without callin' on anything in particular." She takes a sip of her lemonade and nods to Ekram when she sees him enter.

OOC

Actions and rolls go here.

[Spektor]

°•⌂→φ←ζ Aηηika, †hΣ HΣx ζ→φ←⌂•°

Stats: Charm +2, Cool +0, Sharp +0, Tough -1, Weird +2

Harm: ○○○ / ○○○○

Unstable: ○

Luck:  ○○○○○○○

Exp:  ○○○○○

Temptation: Power

Moves & Gear

Bad Luck CharmWhenever you use magic and miss, the backlash never affects you directly if there’s someone else around to hit. It’ll go for allies, other hunters, and innocent bystanders. Sometimes, every so often, it might even hit an enemy.

Cast the Bones Once per mystery, you may perform some kind of divination (tarot, casting the runes, reading entrails, or something like that) to glean information about the future. When you seek guidance by divination, roll +Sharp. On a 10+, hold 2. On a 7-9, hold 1. On a miss, you get some information, but it’s not what you want to hear. Spend those holds to ask any question from the investigate a mystery move, or one of the following questions:

• What can I gain from this person/place/thing/creature?
• Who has touched this person/place/thing/creature
before me?

The Keeper will answer truthfully, with either a direct answer or how to find out more.

Sympathetic TokenAs long as you carry a personal object belonging to someone, such as a lock of hair, a full set of toenails, or a treasured family heirloom, you get +1 ongoing to use magic against them. You can also use magic against them at a distance. If you try to use magic against them and miss, the token is lost, destroyed, or loses its power.

 

Rotes:

Leeching Enchantment(Must be cast at night. Requires the burning of pressed flowers.)
This ability works similar to the Use Magic ability: Enchant a Weapon, but with extra bonuses.

On a 10+
Enchant a weapon. It gets +1 harm and +magic and + Vampiric (1 healing for each time it deals damage).

On a 7-9
The effect is weakened. Choose two of the three tags.

On a miss
The weapon turns on you as you attempt to enchant it. Take 1 harm ignore armour. Apply no Effects.

 

Gear:

Athame(2-harm hand magic silver)

Staff(1-harm hand balanced large)

IC

The barman's response to follow actually earns an amused and surprised expression from Annika, almost as if she expected it all to be some big prank on the new girl at St. Catherine's. But, no. It is not a prank. This is actually some secret organization spy shit. She's heard her fair share of stories about such societies. The Freemasons come to her mind immediately. She even recalls that their influence sprouted a chapter in her own home's history as de Orde van Vrijmetselaren onder het Grootoosten der Nederlandenthe Order of Freemasons under the Grand Orient of the Netherlands. She had always been interested in secret societies as a kid. It was fantastical and exciting to think about the mystery involved in their dealings. But she had never expected to come across one of them. Obviously, these aren't the Freemasons. Most likely it is something akin to a Sorority, even though she could swear that she read such organizations didn't exist at Oxford. Maybe that is why they are being so secretive about it, now that she thinks about it. Or maybe the prank is just that elaborate.

Annika casts a suspicious glance towards Hal when he also follows the barman...holding a brew. 'Yep, this is going to be bullshit, for sure. Nobody is walking into a real secret organization's back room with a cold beer in one hand.' The thought causes her to let out a scoffing laugh that may seem a bit patronizing, considering it came right after she looked him over. But surely enough, they are both lead into the same room. And then they are left there. Alone. 'What the fuuuuuck...Is this really happening right now?' She gives another glance towards Hal, but this time she gives him an awkward smile as her eyes peel away and shift downwards. It's another evocative expression, this time saying 'Well, this is weird'.

Without an actual word towards him, she moves towards the fireplace with her hands halfway stuffed into the small pockets of her sagging jeans. She leans forward to inspect the swords more closely, then moves to the photos on the wall. She pulls a hand free from its hiding place and fiddles with one of the seemingly-random items that hung from the range of placards. Its the type of thing someone does when they can't really decide how to start a conversation, or if they even want to. After making one lap around the room, she runs out of things to idly stare. She inhales deeply, puckers her lips, and starts nodding, as if in response to some unheard question. "Soooo...Any idea what's going on here? I was thinking secret sorority hazing ritual at first, but then you showed up." Annika's voice is medium-pitched and varies little in tone (although one might not call it exactly monotone), with a very slight underlying grit. It's almost as if she is always just a bit too tired to be speaking. Or perhaps it's practiced, to make her sound disinterested, or 'too cool' to be talking about this right now. She finally turns to face him and gives him the full appraisal with her eyes, bottom to top. "Then again, maybe that's all part of it."

The idea that this could be associated with her magical rituals does not even come to her mind. She has a way of convincing herself that her rare successes with magic rituals are just a figment of her imagination. It's not too hard to do considering she was on 'shrooms the first time her magic 'worked', and the second time -- a much more recent success -- she was drunk. Like, really drunk. The type of drunk where she can't really recall exactly what was real and what she dreamed. But deep down, she knows what she has seen. It's why she keeps trying. Well, that and the fact that she tends to do it when she is feeling the most alone. There's probably some subconscious psychological reason for that, but if there is, she's definitely not willing to face that right now. She's got far too much going on. And now, this. "I'm really hoping it's not that. If it is that, then let's not and say we did." She attempts another awkward smile, but the subtext of both her words and her expression are pleading 'please don't be a creep'.

 

 

Edited June 17, 2023 by Spektor (see edit history)

[Ezeze]

The Reverend Dr. David Beaumont, Professor Emeritus Sheet

Luck □ □ □ □ □ □ □

Harm □ □ □ | □ □ □ □

Experience □ □ □ □ □

Sophie's explanation mollifies David a little. Someone unfamiliar with magic doing foolish things with it was bad, but not as bad as someone familiar with magic doing malicious things with it. It's easier to fix, at least.

 

"And the spirit is laid to rest now?" Either it is, or it can be the new members' first mission. David does not intend to leave a restless soul wandering, denied their eternal reward.

Edited June 17, 2023 by Ezeze (see edit history)

[emotionaut]

Sophie

●○ the Monstrous ○●

StatsCharm -2, Cool +2, Sharp 0, Tough 0, Weird +3

Harm: ○○○ / ○○○○

Unstable: ○

Luck:  ○○○○○○○

Exp:  ○○○○○

Moves

Unnatural AppealRoll +Weird instead of +Charm when you manipulate someone.

Dark NegotiatorYou can use the manipulate someone move on monsters as well as people, if they can reason and talk.

IC

Sophie screws up her face and makes a noncommittal sound. “Laid to rest may be makin' more of it than's fair. I don't know it was restin' before she called it up, and I don't know it's restin' any better now.”

She glances about to make sure nobody is earwigging before continuing. "I didn't get the feelin' it was a ghost. The way it talked was different from you and me. Not just in language, but in thought. It seemed over concerned about words, the way you hear in stories of a djinn or a crafty devil, so," she explains. She then leans forward and lowers her voice even further, while a sly grin forms on her face. "Thing was a bit thick though, least in the ways of men. Sure, it wanted something from her, but I told it Annika was me daughter, and as such has no authority to make a deal until she's old enough to have a daughter of her own. There was enough truth in the words to fool it, but supposin' that only gives us until next year before it may come 'round again. But time enough to learn what it is and how to deal with it permanent."

OOC

Actions and rolls go here.

[Ezeze]

The Reverend Dr. David Beaumont, Professor Emeritus Sheet

Luck □ □ □ □ □ □ □

Harm □ □ □ | □ □ □ □

Experience □ □ □ □ □

 

David nods along with Sophie's words. "We'll discuss it further with her. Whether she ultimately chooses to join the Society or not, she shouldn't be handling this spirit on her own."

[DoNotFearToTread]

In Brief

Ekram

The Wronged

Stats: Charm +1, Cool +0, Sharp +1, Tough +2, Weird -1

Harm: ○○○ / ○○○○

Unstable: ○

Luck:  ○○○○○○○

Exp:  ○○○○○

Playbook Moves

I Know My PreyYou get +1 ongoing when knowingly investigating, pursuing or fighting the breed of monster that caused your loss.

DIY SurgeryWhen you do quick and dirty first aid on someone (including yourself), roll +Cool.

On a 10+ it’s all good, it counts as normal first aid, plus stabilize the injury and heal 1 harm. On a 7-9 it counts as normal first aid, plus one of these, your choice:

• Stabilise the injury but the patient takes -1 forward.
• Heal 1-harm and stabilise for now, but it will return as 2-harm and become unstable again later.
• Heal 1-harm and stabilise but the patient takes -1 ongoing until it’s fixed properly.

Never Again!In combat, you may choose to protect someone without rolling, as if you had rolled a 10+, but you may not choose to “suffer little harm.”

Trust Your Gut (alt Weird)When you consult your instincts about what to do next, roll +Weird:

• On a 10 or more, the Keeper will tell where you should go. Wherever that is, it will be important. You get +1 ongoing on the way to this place.
• On a 7-9, the Keeper will tell you a general direction to go. Take +1 forward as you explore that.
• On a miss, your instincts lead you into danger.

 

Watering Hole of Dooooom

Ekram's arrival at the Eagle and Child is both timely and unobtrusive. He'd layered for the weather, with a hooded sweatshirt under a light jacket in neutral, some would say drab, colors. He has no desire to stand out tonight, so he makes for the table first with a nod to Sophie and a smile to David, before diverting to the bar at the old man's instruction. He returns with an elderflower soda in hand, sipping slowly from the glass as he passes over David's wine. The exchange between them doesn't draw interruption from him until Sophie makes mention of djinn.

"I don't like it. She's dangerous." He speaks over the rim of the glass, the sweet but tart flavor of the drink dancing across his tongue. He has a weakness for sweet things, as the candy wrappers that litter his desk back in the room would attest. He also has a predilection for prejudgment, a heavy reliance on gut instinct that often leaves little room for nuance. The girl, Annika, was the current target of that despite them having never exchanged words even in greeting. "Keep your friends close and your enemies closer, I know, but things are bad enough most of the time without some kind of magical time bomb standing beside us." He drains the rest of the soda and sets it on the table, ice clinking against the glass. Part of him acknowledges how strange it is to say that with Sophie right there, given her nature and how little he truly knows about it. Still, he had intended to kill her on their initial meeting so maybe his edges are softening a bit. Shifting to circle around the table and face Alice, he diverts the topic without further interrupting the priest and Sophie.

"So nothing...strange...while we were gone? All quiet here?" He doesn't want to admit this, least of all to himself, but he'd spent much of his time on the break thinking about coming back. There are embers burning in him, a fire that wants to find something to burn. Now that the truth is out and he knows the list is much longer than just the ghuls he has long known, his desire to see more (and kill more, certainly) has become a gnawing, angry thing. He'd begun seeing monsters in every shadow, every dark corner, and he hopes something tangible might help keep that in check.

 

Edited June 17, 2023 by DoNotFearToTread (see edit history)

[Knave]

Annika's suspicious examination of the room only reveals more strangeness. The swords are marked with a tiny framed placard that contains hand-written script: Unidentified manifestation x James Kingsley (Wolvercote Cemetery, 1919). She looks at the others: the billiards cue is blackened at the pointed end and the note reads: 3 vampyre x Stephen Shepherd. (Balliol SCR, 1863)

The oar
is finely painted with the names of its former crew, but the blade is badly splintered at the end. The note reads: Jenny Greenteeth x Harry Lancashire (River Isis, 1939).

The honours boards fill an entire wall of the small room. The first board shows the title: Saint Michael's Society for the Delivraunce and Salvatioun of All Oxford. The first names listed bear the year 1590. Scanning through, you can see each name has a start year and an end year. Some also bear a cross symbol †

After around 1855, you see some names are marked "Blue" or "Half-Blue". All the names have end dates, so it seems people are only inscribed when they leave. 

A few names jump out, either because they are familiar, or because the wood around looks slightly worn, as though the letters have been traced by many hands: R Hook, TE Lawrence, CS Lewis, RF Burton, JRR Tolkien, OF Wilde. Annika notes that the first female name arrives in 2002.

The final entry reads: Kate Green 2004-2006 † (Blue).

……..

After Annika and Hal have had a few moments, the slight young woman with the pale eyes enters, followed by the others, and greets you softly. 

"Thank you for coming, my name is Alice Singer, I'm in my final year reading History at Merton, and I'm the Acting President of this Society, the current name of which is the OUMHS, or Oxford University Monster Hunting Society, and the entirety of whose present membership is now in this room with you. I'm not going to try to convince you of the reality of monsters, nor listen to any performative objections from the audience about it. You- " she points at Hal "are the grandson of Lady Branwen, famed exorcist of evil spirits, while you -" she indicates Annika "conjured such a spirit literally yesterday."

"So - Oxford University is an old place, and a strange place. Older than the English language, older than the printed word, born in the Dark Ages, the pivot around which centuries of civil war, anarchy, religious heresy and counter-heresy have rotated.

"All manner of things have been brought here, studied here and hidden here, both sacred and profane. And for that reason, the University is prone to a higher than normal frequency of unnatural incidents. The purpose of this society is to prevent things getting out of hand. If you want to be idealistic, you can consider us as revolutionaries, purging the University of those unnatural aspects that deflect and prevent it from creating human flourishing. Personally, I take a Burkean conservative view: we are the stewards and protectors of an ancient legacy. Regardless, it's important work that few can do.

"Now, why should you join us, if you don't care about doing good. I'll offer you the same three reasons I was offered: protection, resources and guidance. We're something of a mutual society you see.

Folks such as us will attract more than your share of trouble here. Believe me, I know. That's just how it goes. The safest thing you could do is pack up and leave today. Head to Durham or Edinburgh or wherever. Not The Other Place, it's almost as bad as here. The second safest thing is to sign up with us. But in Durham or wherever, you won't find one-tenth part of the arcane and occult knowledge and materials to be found in this City. We can keep you safe-ish, while you grow your power in a safe-ish way. Professor David here probably has one of the foremost collections in the country."

She quiets abruptly, looking around the room. "Well, that's enough from me, I think. Please feel free to help yourselves at the bar - a little perk the pub offers us. And then come and chat with our existing membership, such as it is. Have a look around the HCR. If you are in, sign here. If you're not, no hard feelings, but you'll understand if we don't exactly forget you."

She opens a plain leather-bound notebook, a few pages in. At the top of the page it reads:

I pledge to protect, to the best of my ability, Oxford University, its Scholars and Masters, from all monsters and other supernatural threats; and to forgo all reckless, dangerous or experimental practices, except insofar as said practices are proportionate to any manifest threat.

 

Name:

College:

Phone number:

Edited June 18, 2023 by Knave (see edit history)

[Ezeze]

The Reverend Dr. David Beaumont, Professor Emeritus Sheet

Luck □ □ □ □ □ □ □

Harm □ □ □ | □ □ □ □

Experience □ □ □ □ □

 

It's a good thing that Dr. Beaumont found his calling in the cloth, because he never would have made it as a poker player; no poker face to speak of. He follows Alice into the backroom, back and to the right like an honor guard, and does not interrupt her. Does not do anything that might call her authority into question.

Except. Well. He does visibly flinch when Alice states that the entire Society membership is in the room.

Then again - albeit less so - when Alice simply whips out the book and presents it to Annika and Hal.

Alice has never done this before. She must be nervous. She needs support and encouragement, not a lecture, so though David's stomach twists in knots at her All-or-Nothing Hard Sell to the new recruits, he doesn't say anything about it.

Instead he takes a few steps forward, pulls out one of the dining table chairs, and sits in it. He nods at the others with a harmless little smile; an open invitation for them to join him at the table.

[emotionaut]

Sophie

●○ the Monstrous ○●

StatsCharm -2, Cool +2, Sharp 0, Tough 0, Weird +3

Harm: ○○○ / ○○○○

Unstable: ○

Luck:  ○○○○○○○

Exp:  ○○○○○

Moves

Unnatural AppealRoll +Weird instead of +Charm when you manipulate someone.

Dark NegotiatorYou can use the manipulate someone move on monsters as well as people, if they can reason and talk.

IC

As they enter the back room, Sophie catches Annika's eye. She defers to Alice as she spells everything out, but she holds Annika with her gaze, hoping it may be reassuring to see a familiar face when presented with all this crazy. Once Alice is done, Sophie says, “Come here, chicken. It's time we be havin' that talk.” She sits down at the table, with an open seat at the corner beside her.

Behind her smile, Sophie's mind is reaching out. She knows this is a lot to take, and people can respond very differently to these kinds of revelations. Some will laugh them off. Others will grow guarded, feeling vulnerable to attack. A rare few will accept what they're told, because of some experiences or suspicions they've already formed. There's really no telling, but she has an edge in this department.

OOC

First rolls, here we go! Let's try Empathy on both Annika and Hal to see how they're handling this.

10+ on both, so that gives me +1 forward if I need to act on their emotional states. I'm Deanna Troi over here!

 

Edited June 18, 2023 by emotionaut (see edit history)

[Knave]

@Spektor @Gregorotto

OOC: Please give Sophie a summary of your current emotions and intentions. This can be in a private section of your post if you prefer.

[Spektor]

°•⌂→φ←ζ Aηηika, †hΣ HΣx ζ→φ←⌂•°

Stats: Charm +2, Cool +0, Sharp +0, Tough -1, Weird +2

Harm: ○○○ / ○○○○

Unstable: ○

Luck:  ○○○○○○○

Exp:  ○○○○○

Temptation: Power

Moves & Gear

Bad Luck CharmWhenever you use magic and miss, the backlash never affects you directly if there’s someone else around to hit. It’ll go for allies, other hunters, and innocent bystanders. Sometimes, every so often, it might even hit an enemy.

Cast the Bones Once per mystery, you may perform some kind of divination (tarot, casting the runes, reading entrails, or something like that) to glean information about the future. When you seek guidance by divination, roll +Sharp. On a 10+, hold 2. On a 7-9, hold 1. On a miss, you get some information, but it’s not what you want to hear. Spend those holds to ask any question from the investigate a mystery move, or one of the following questions:

• What can I gain from this person/place/thing/creature?
• Who has touched this person/place/thing/creature
before me?

The Keeper will answer truthfully, with either a direct answer or how to find out more.

Sympathetic TokenAs long as you carry a personal object belonging to someone, such as a lock of hair, a full set of toenails, or a treasured family heirloom, you get +1 ongoing to use magic against them. You can also use magic against them at a distance. If you try to use magic against them and miss, the token is lost, destroyed, or loses its power.

 

Rotes:

Leeching Enchantment(Must be cast at night. Requires the burning of pressed flowers.)
This ability works similar to the Use Magic ability: Enchant a Weapon, but with extra bonuses.

On a 10+
Enchant a weapon. It gets +1 harm and +magic and + Vampiric (1 healing for each time it deals damage).

On a 7-9
The effect is weakened. Choose two of the three tags.

On a miss
The weapon turns on you as you attempt to enchant it. Take 1 harm ignore armour. Apply no Effects.

 

Gear:

Athame(2-harm hand magic silver)

Staff(1-harm hand balanced large)

IC

When the door swings open and the others enter, Annika exhales a breath that she hadn't realized she had been holding. For a split second, she considers saying something sarcastic. But this is all so weird, she cannot even think of anything witty to say. She cannot even recall a TV/Movie reference to make that would be appropriately relevant. So she's left standing silently, regarding the new individuals that enter with a look of incredulous suspicion. Imagine her surprise when her 'mum' is with them. Sophie being involved makes the likelihood of this being a very elaborate prank raise a bit, even if Annika would never pin her as the sort to do such a thing. The two of them haven't spent all that much time together, and what little time they have spent has been a fairly awkward exchange of small talk about Oxford. They just don't seem to have all that much in common. They are both very different people, perhaps in ways that Annika doesn't even understand yet.

With Sophie's gaze stuck on her, Annika feels a sudden weight in the pit of her stomach. That weight intensifies as Alice explains the reason they are all here. Then grows almost unbearable when she is accused of conjuring a spirit. The witch's eyes suddenly narrow a bit and her jaw tenses, giving her already rigid jawline a bit more definition. She stares at Sophie accusingly while Alice continues, glancing every now and then at the slight girl to show she's still listening. When the speech completes, Annika huffs and shifts her weight to the other foot while looking away. With her hands in her pockets, it's a firm display of displeasure with the situation. "Way to be a ****ing narc." She mutters under her breath, but ensures it's loud enough for them all to hear.

Annika seethes for a moment as two of them sit invitingly at the table. She has her body half-turned towards the door, as if she might be deciding to just leave this crazy situation altogether. Her eyes slide towards the empty chair near David and Sophie and she takes a moment to make a firm decision. Finally, with a relenting sigh, she turns towards them and plops down in the seat messily with her arms crossed in a defiant manner. She's quiet for a moment as she takes some time to assess the older man who had sat first and had been completely silent during the odd exchange. A thought comes to her mind and she has to kick herself regarding her intended sarcastic comment upon their first entrance: 'Agh, I should have said "What are you supposed to be, an Older Mulder". That would have been really good.'

After a moment, she shakes her head. "This is a lot. What you're saying is absolute insanity. You realize that, right?" Her leg shakes anxiously. "Like you said: There isn't really a point to discussing whether what you're saying is true or not. Looking at you," She gestures towards Alice, "clearly you believe what you're saying. And obviously, I'm not going to believe you until I see an actual 'monster' myself, because as far as I know, you all just broke out of the psych ward yesterday." Her head shakes and she bites her lip while she takes a moment to decide how she is going to continue with this line of statements. "But I know what I am capable of." Annika's pale eyes move to the table's surface, unable to meet the gaze of the others. They grow distant as she continues, "I thought...the first time...I thought it was just the psilocybin ****ing with me. E-...Even last night, I thought maybe the alcohol..." She stops herself again and shakes her head. "It doesn't matter. You're telling me this is real." Her eyes harden into an expression of sudden determination. She looks to David, "And you being here means this is probably not some stupid prank among Uni students. I don't know you, but you look like you've got it together. Together at least enough to not be pulling pranks with people our age." Her eyes bore into his for a moment as the calculations run through her head. She looks suddenly towards Sophie again, "You were there for real, then. You saw it? Did you hear what it said? I think I did something wrong or-- I don't know. Maybe I made it angry. But you and your organization can help me figure it out, so long as I -- what? Kill vampires, or whatever?" She turns her assessing eyes now to Alice, "Have you actually fought a monster before? Is this society a preparation or an active resistance?"

 

 

Edited June 20, 2023 by Spektor (see edit history)

[emotionaut]

Sophie

●○ the Monstrous ○●

StatsCharm -2, Cool +2, Sharp 0, Tough 0, Weird +3

Harm: ○○○ / ○○○○

Unstable: ○

Luck:  ○○○○○○○

Exp:  ○○○○○

Moves

Unnatural AppealRoll +Weird instead of +Charm when you manipulate someone.

Dark NegotiatorYou can use the manipulate someone move on monsters as well as people, if they can reason and talk.

IC

Sophie sighs as she feels Annika's distrust toward her grow. The last thing she wants is for the girl to see her as the enemy. Might there have been a better way to go about this? Perhaps. But Alice is in charge, and Sophie can't say how she'd have gone about this any better. She wants to be honest with these kids, and so far they have been. But she also wants to be compassionate. What they are telling them does sound crazy. Moreover, what they are asking them to sign up for is dangerous. Life-changing. Red pill or blue pill level stuff.

Sophie has been holding onto hope that at least Annika would be easier to convince, after last night. But now she realizes the girl's recollection is more addled by drink than she realized at the time. This would be like convincing someone that their dreams are real. Nothing doing but to get to it, she supposes.

“Sure, I was there for it. And I did see it. And heard it,” Sophie begins in her most gentle of tones. "The spectacle. The wind and the lights. I can see how you might read that as anger, but I'm less certain. As to what it said..." she hesitates, not wanting to scare Annika but also not wanting to lie to her. "It's interest in you seemed... unhealthy. But I don't think it'll bother you for a time. Time enough for us to help you understandin' it and deal with it should it come back around. That's exactly the kind of thing we do. Leave the vampire stakin' and ghoul skull bashin' to Ekram here," she finishes, with a playful nod toward the quiet but serious young man in their group.

OOC

Moves and such go here.

[DoNotFearToTread]

In Brief

Ekram

The Wronged

Stats: Charm +1, Cool +0, Sharp +1, Tough +2, Weird -1

Harm: ○○○ / ○○○○

Unstable: ○

Luck:  ○○○○○○○

Exp:  ○○○○○

Playbook Moves

I Know My PreyYou get +1 ongoing when knowingly investigating, pursuing or fighting the breed of monster that caused your loss.

DIY SurgeryWhen you do quick and dirty first aid on someone (including yourself), roll +Cool.

On a 10+ it’s all good, it counts as normal first aid, plus stabilize the injury and heal 1 harm. On a 7-9 it counts as normal first aid, plus one of these, your choice:

• Stabilise the injury but the patient takes -1 forward.
• Heal 1-harm and stabilise for now, but it will return as 2-harm and become unstable again later.
• Heal 1-harm and stabilise but the patient takes -1 ongoing until it’s fixed properly.

Never Again!In combat, you may choose to protect someone without rolling, as if you had rolled a 10+, but you may not choose to “suffer little harm.”

Trust Your Gut (alt Weird)When you consult your instincts about what to do next, roll +Weird:

• On a 10 or more, the Keeper will tell where you should go. Wherever that is, it will be important. You get +1 ongoing on the way to this place.
• On a 7-9, the Keeper will tell you a general direction to go. Take +1 forward as you explore that.
• On a miss, your instincts lead you into danger.

 

What Sane Person Would Say Yes?

As the others filter in, Ekram slips into the room and drapes his jacket over the back of a chair around the table. His choice puts his back to the wall opposite the door, old habits being what they are, and he settles in to listen to Alice's speech. At several points during her rather brief introduction to the whole 'monsters are real, we deal with them' pitch his eyebrows pinch in with the narrowing of his eyes. He never got the speech. Never needed it. He'd come to Oxford with that knowledge in his back pocket so signing up didn't require a lot of thought. But he kind of thought there would be more to it than what they got. His eyes dip frequently from Alice to the new faces in search of some hint or expression that might clarify their thought. Annika requires no such interpretation. The chair creeks as he leans forward in it, bringing a hand to cover his mouth which does little to stifle his laugh at the narc snipe.

"First thing you lose is privacy. Thing of the past." That is one thing he didn't love about the whole group hunting experience. Solo, you set your own hours and listen to no one. And die, generally, in a real bad way. But phone calls at any hour, the constant threat of interruption, no real say in what jobs you do. That part makes it feel like work. Alice sticks to the script, professional, but he gives her a hard look at the 'present membership, such as it is' remark. Undervalued and undersold in an exchange he didn't even want to be a part of in the first place. That one stings.

"Three cheers for monster squad, then?" He leans back in the chair as Sophie and David take up spots at the table, well content to know that this next part...the good cop or soft sell part...is in their capable hands. He palms the zippo from his pocket, the one with the Hard Rock Cafe Sarajevo logo on its scratched surface, and sets it on the table. Outwardly, he devotes the start of the exchange to trying to get the lighter to spin on its corner like a childs top. Inside, his brain keeps returning to Alice's last statement. Why does the not forgetting you part feel so sinister? He hasn't been with the group that long but he can't help wonder how often they'd had to deal with former members or recruits. His kind of deal with. The way Annika is asking all the right questions, the ones he probably wouldn't have thought to ask in her place, casts just enough doubt on her intentions that he has to wonder if he could deal with someone like that. Not a ghul, long dead and hungry, but a person. Or a close enough facsimile. Sophie's suggestion that he handle the violent stuff earns a grunt as he snatches up the lighter again, stuffing it into his pocket.

"Not that I'd complain about some help with that." The idea of Alice actually getting out there and drawing blood is impossible to conjure. Her whole liability with possession and the like is not something he'd want to wrestle with, so he can't really hold it against her that she sticks around her wards, but one thing she was correct on is their dwindling membership. The old man is smart, has years of info to offer, and Sophie just has a way with creatures but when it comes to getting bloody there really isn't anyone to lean on but him. Annika and Hal don't exactly have looks that scream 'monster slayer' but maybe being a witch offers some secret advantage. He won't be turning his back to her anytime soon, that's for certain.

"Some monsters just need killing. Best to accept that early." It's not really an explanation, but he has no interest in hiding the truth from them. Part of knowing about monsters is knowing when they have to die, plain and simple. It is a monster hunting society, after all, not a book club.

 

[Spektor]

°•⌂→φ←ζ Aηηika, †hΣ HΣx ζ→φ←⌂•°

Stats: Charm +2, Cool +0, Sharp +0, Tough -1, Weird +2

Harm: ○○○ / ○○○○

Unstable: ○

Luck:  ○○○○○○○

Exp:  ○○○○○

Temptation: Power

Moves & Gear

Bad Luck CharmWhenever you use magic and miss, the backlash never affects you directly if there’s someone else around to hit. It’ll go for allies, other hunters, and innocent bystanders. Sometimes, every so often, it might even hit an enemy.

Cast the Bones Once per mystery, you may perform some kind of divination (tarot, casting the runes, reading entrails, or something like that) to glean information about the future. When you seek guidance by divination, roll +Sharp. On a 10+, hold 2. On a 7-9, hold 1. On a miss, you get some information, but it’s not what you want to hear. Spend those holds to ask any question from the investigate a mystery move, or one of the following questions:

• What can I gain from this person/place/thing/creature?
• Who has touched this person/place/thing/creature
before me?

The Keeper will answer truthfully, with either a direct answer or how to find out more.

Sympathetic TokenAs long as you carry a personal object belonging to someone, such as a lock of hair, a full set of toenails, or a treasured family heirloom, you get +1 ongoing to use magic against them. You can also use magic against them at a distance. If you try to use magic against them and miss, the token is lost, destroyed, or loses its power.

 

Rotes:

Leeching Enchantment(Must be cast at night. Requires the burning of pressed flowers.)
This ability works similar to the Use Magic ability: Enchant a Weapon, but with extra bonuses.

On a 10+
Enchant a weapon. It gets +1 harm and +magic and + Vampiric (1 healing for each time it deals damage).

On a 7-9
The effect is weakened. Choose two of the three tags.

On a miss
The weapon turns on you as you attempt to enchant it. Take 1 harm ignore armour. Apply no Effects.

 

Gear:

Athame(2-harm hand magic silver)

Staff(1-harm hand balanced large)

IC

With Sophie's explanation of her experience the night before, Annika seems suddenly disappointed. "I'm not sure I get what you're saying. 'Unhealthy'? How did its interest seem unhealthy? I need that connection, Sophie. When it's there...I can feel some weird -- like -- tingle. The only way I can describe it is..." She pauses and casts a wary eye towards David, who had been quiet throughout the entire discussion. She then looks back to Sophie, "...I feel powerful. I guess that is...magic? I don't know how to explain it. If you cut me off from it, then I'm not sure that I can do anything." An expression of desperation overcomes her and she quickly seems to notice. With much effort she is able to ease back into a stance that appears more apathetic. She glances towards Alice, "I'm sure that solves one of your problems, but not the other."

Ekram finally speaks up, which earns a raised eyebrow from Annika who regards him with a look that implies she is not impressed. "So, Mister Badass, you are the only one who fights these 'monsters'?" She exhales a mirthless laugh. "If this guy can do it, then I can do it -- probably better. But I need that power first. Otherwise I'm just--" Her arms raise and gesture to her own body with a bit of exasperation. "...Well, I'm just me. I accept your offer for more knowledge regarding witchcraft, but I am more than confident that I know what the f*ck I'm doing. I've been reading Wiccan Spellbooks, practicing rituals, and concocting potions for years now without any proof that it has been effective. I kept doing it even when my parents called me a devil worshiper. I kept doing it even when the other kids called me a freak. And I'll keep doing it no matter what happens here tonight. Help me contact the entity. Help me negotiate with it. Then we can talk. Otherwise, feel free to watch all the f*ck you want. I'm not going anywhere." She crosses her arms defiantly and casts one final look towards Ekram, now sizing him up like she did with Hal. "So? What 'monsters' have you fought? Should I be impressed by something you've accomplished or is this whole 'Model for the cover of Baddass Weekly' look supposed to be enough?"