The latest session with my Cult Crew began with downtime again.

The latest session with my Cult Crew began with downtime again. Mostly just vice and healing this time, and I sprinkled in rumors about a plague running through Charhollow that was turning people feral. Later there was talk of the military coming in, and quarantining the district with lightning walls. The whisper did start work on a LTP to decipher the language on an ancient relic she found in a previous session, and she decided the best person to talk to was her rival Setarra. Setarra agreed to help translate if the whisper would help her gather live bodies for some projects of her own. The whisper is now in bed with her rival doing something nefarious involving experimenting on the homeless, excellent choices.

With no particular scores on their minds, the PCs were approached by the Dimmer Sisters, with whom they have a positive relationship. An agent of theirs when to collect a powerful spirit from a seller in Charhollow, and ended up getting caught when the lightning barriers went up. Ideally the crew would get the operative out alive, but barring that the sisters at least want the spirit. In addition to the feral plague victims, and the enigmatic figure Hollowheart, who they’ve been hearing about in hushed whispers for 2 sessions now, they also have to deal with the Purge Squads sent in by the Imperial Military who are also guarding the only way in.

Highlights:

– The Lurk who is a killer with 0 remorse or empathy attacked a squadron of soldiers who were attempting to purge an orphanage. He did this despite being alone and knowing the military are tier VI. The Lurk revealed later that he was from Charhollow, and grew up in this orphanage. He was seconds from death, about to be overwhelmed and burned alive by the squadron’s whisper, when he heard the now familiar voice in his head “Hey, use me” and he gave in to the power of the forgotten god One Within Many who currently possesses him. Black shadowy chains erupted from his chest hitting all the soldiers who were knocked unconscious. Two ticks on the Lurks “A Debt is Collected” clock, and now the One Within Many has a foothold in the military.

– After chastising the Lurk for going up against a superior force when they have a job to do, the Cutter does the exact same thing. The Purge Squads are being lead by the military commander that had the Cutter dishonorably discharged for disobeying orders after the commander got the Cutter’s cousin killed during a mission. Seeing the Commander running the show from a command tent in Charhollow, the Cutter pops a rage essence and charges into the tent. Fortunately for the group, this is when the 6s began to fall like rain. Crits all around as the Cutter ignores several bullets to the chest and gut the commander in the middle of his troops, and the whisper causes the radios in the tent to explode, taking out the heaviest troops.

– The PCs learn that Hollowheart is the one selling the spirit to the Sisters, but he also killed the operative and is in the process of removing her heart when they arrive. He looks like a chain devil, except every chain ends in a human heart. Everyone but the whisper is told they must either freeze in terror, run away, or resist. They all choose to run. The whisper has a short conversation with Hollowheart, and learns that he’s a servant of the One Within Many (the forgotten god who is slowly infecting the whole crew). Hollowheart gives her the spirit, allows her to leave, and promises to see her again soon.

– The whisper really wants to open that spirit bottle, and see what all the fuss was about, but is worried she won’t be able to control the powerful spirit it contains. I could see the player was really torn about this, but it was already 1AM so she just delivered it as promised. That saved me from having to invent a powerful and valuable spirit on the spot.

Fallout

They gained status with the Dimmer Sisters, lost 2 status with the military, and because of their actions the Purge Squads were all eradicated by Hollowheart and his feral humans. They also discovered the Hollowheart sees them as allies, or at least not as enemies for the moment. I’m planning on having Charhollow be sealed off and left to fester. This will let them forget about Hollowheart for awhile if they wish to pursue their own interests. Until Charhollow bursts like the festering boil that it is to potentially Doom all of Doskvol that is.

As a side note, Pokemon GO has had a negative impact on my game. Anybody else having this problem? People that are usually super well behaved with phones are now catching bulbasaurs and ponytas during my game.