The Porcelain Dolls: Session 5 (March 2nd 2016)

The Porcelain Dolls: Session 5 (March 2nd 2016)

Downtime actions for The Bronze Statue Job:

The crew uses a lot of the Coin they got from the extra loot for extra actions to indulge their Vices as well as reduce the massive amount of Heat that was still around from the assault to remove the Lampblacks’ dealers from The Drop. Boots starts a long term project to find some rich investors and get them to start buying up property in The Drop, with the intention of gentrifying the neighborhood, in order to eventually provide better burglary targets. I decide that it’s going to be one clock to get the investors lined up, and another to facilitate the sales (including ensuring the current owners are willing to sell). I rule that anyone can contribute.

Some time later, the crew is hanging out at the Leaky Bucket, when they are approached by a man calling himself Karstas. Shade quickly susses out that he is a fire demon. Karstas informs the crew that he is aware that they have recently come into contact with a rare statue from Tycheros, and he would very much like to acquire it. He draws up a contract and agrees that in trade for an introduction to the current owner (Fitz) with the intent of making a sincere offer for the statue, he will provide them with a list of prospective investors in the real estate scheme that Boots is cooking up. Shade looks over the contract and makes some judicious edits before they all sign. Karstas says he will meet them in 24 hours.

Constance visits The Crows. Lyssa has a job for the crew: Break into the office of Lord Brogan (city councilor), and plant evidence of some nefarious crime. Once that’s done, the Bluecoats will be tipped off and will search the office and find the evidence. The ultimate goal is that Lord Brogan will be removed from office (the first hint that there are larger things at work here).

The crew discusses several possible plans, including a spell that will fleshcraft one of them to look like someone who belongs there (Shade identifies a guard that has a bit of a drinking habit and can be easily waylaid on his way to work), dressing up as a servant, and even appealing for a direct audience with Lord Brogan. After their Gather Info rolls, they decided to go with Plan #2.

The next night they meet up with Karstas, who does indeed give them a list of names, filling in half their investor clock in one shot. One of the names on the list is Adelard Fitz. They go to make their introductions, only to find out that Karstas has already met with Fitz and made a deal to buy statue (he has graciously allowed Fitz another week with it). The crew is naturally suspicious, but Karstas says he considers this sufficient for them to fulfill their part of the bargain, since it was because of them that he made contact with Fitz.

The Frame Lord Brogan Job:

The next day, Shade and Constance loiter in Heartbreak Square while Boots infiltrates City Hall dressed as a footman, makes his way up to Lord Brogan’s office. He serves tea to Lord Brogan and a guest, spills a teacup, and manages to slip the envelope under the desk while mopping up the spill. He hightails it out of there, and Constance informs Lyssa that the job was successful.

Notes:

The players initially voiced their concerns that this job ended up being too easy, considering who they went up against. After more discussion, it was decided that this was partly because they did really well on the Gather Info rolls, and for the most part, the system is working as intended, though I could probably should have added another complication (and associated clock) on the way out.

#dontmesswiththedolls