#CopperheadCounty session 2, or, The Steak ‘n Shake Showdown:
#CopperheadCounty session 2, or, The Steak ‘n Shake Showdown:
Our second alpha sesssion of my #modern #southern #crime #hack Copperhead County was last week, and I’ve finally had time to write it up. I’ve been working on a factions preview post too (transferring my notes to a pretty mockup PDF, editing, etc). I also did some good overhauling of the Wheeler (Slide) special abilities before this session, and feel like the playbooks are in a nice place. I am on an every-other-week GM schedule since I rotate with one of my players’ game, so I’m also waiting to see how other stuff shakes out.
Anyway! Session 2 was a very chill, RP-heavy game with a flash of action at the end. The god of criminals smiled on the PCs and they rolled a stunning number of 6s.
The party Wheeler, Camila, was contacted by Boone, their drug dealer contact, a creepy young dude with a habit of idling on the phone until you hang up on him. Boone had in turn been contacted by Bianca Châu, a young woman of the Gia Đình Núi (tier 2): a gang formed years ago out of the county’s Vietnamese refugee community to protect themselves against local predators, but whose children are now dabbling in more serious crime. Bianca, looking to branch out on her own, needed muscle for a drug deal. Boone thought Camila and her hellraising crew might be interested in taking the job… or busting up the deal and taking the product for themselves.
After finally getting Boone off of the phone, Camila went to the others, and they decided to stay true to their +1 status with the Gia Đình Núi (from crew creation) and help Bianca out. Camila gave her a call and learned the deal was with Jensen Allbright (tier 1), a newly-arrived California venture capitalist throwing around money to buy his way into local markets. It was all set to go down at a Steak ‘n Shake near the highway.
The crew piled into their trusty van and headed out, bringing with them pills fresh from the Drug Lab they claimed in their first job. Camila decided to head inside to deal with Bianca, while Haddie (the Hazard), Jessie (the Marker), and Willem (the Cleaner) kept an eye on things in the van. Marvin (the Heavy) followed Camila nonchalantly, pretending to be a customer in search of fries and shakes.
Camila and Bianca gabbed for a spell before the watchers-in-the-van noticed the telltale sign of a wealthy capitalist pull up: a shiny new Tesla. Out of it spilled Jensen, a young man in a crisp hoodie, and his bodyguard, a mysterious brute called Houston. After making acquaintances, Jensen took Bianca and Camila back to the parking lot to exchange goods, while Marvin took the food back to the van (Willem: “Gimme those fuckin’ fries”). Everything went smoothly, and Camila was able to deal Jensen up to double his price between the two sellers (using one of those lucky 6s).
But it was not meant to be a simple night, as just then loud engines roared down the highway, and four bad dudes rolled into the parking lot on American-made motorbikes. All could tell from their patched-up leathers that these dudes were members of the Heathens MC (tier 3), a bad crew of drug-and-gun-runners and one of the county’s power gangs. Marvin came out to confront them with Houston, while the others cowered in the lot or hid in the van.
The Heathens’ leader, a ragged beardo called Duke, dispensed with the banter and demanded that all present hand over their drugs and cash. Marvin brandished his piece and stood them down (using another of those 6s), advising them to go inside and enjoy some milkshakes. Duke and his boys took the hint and went inside for some famous Steakburgers™.
Some time later, the crew was back in the van, rumbling down the rural route back to their lair in Droop Branch. Of course, what would happen next but telltale engines roaring behind them, with Duke deciding to take the fight to more favorable terrain. On his face was a maniacal grin, for there is nothing an outlaw biker loves more than vehicular combat. With four Harleys versus one shitty van, the crew seemed to be in trouble, but Jessie came up with a plan: watching the bikers, he waited for just the right moment, then directed Haddie (the van’s offical driver) to slam the brakes. For his setup action, he rolled yet another 6, and then Haddie rolled to slam. I offered her a Devil’s Bargain: in exchange for a precious +1d, the crashing motorcycles would fuck up the van enough to render it inoperable through the next job. She took it, and the laws of physics took out two of the motorcyclists, leaving them wrecked on the highway (“There was whiskey and blood all together, mixed with glass where they lay” – Roy Acuff), and Duke with only one man to back him up. As Duke and his goon opened fire, Marvin threw open the van’s back doors and returned fire, Camila behind him, while Willem used his trusty rifle from the passenger door. Wouldn’t you know it, Willem and Camila both rolled 6s, while Marvin rolled an embarassing 4. After the smoke cleared, all of the bikers lay dead, and Marvin only took lesser harm from some of Duke’s buckshot hitting his leg.
The session ended with the PCs huddled in the woods, waiting for Martinez, their mechanic contact, to arrive with his tow truck. Even at the cost of their van, it was another successful job for the Marlene’s gang. They strengthened their relationship with the new generation of the Gia Đình Núi, made a wealthy new friend, and got a sack of his money. But they also took a status hit with the Heathens MC, who could definitely destroy them. Will their luck keep up next session? How will they cope without their beloved van? Hey, what’s going on with the plotline introduced in the first session, and their fight with the McMorrow Clan? Stay tuned…
