Infernal Soil Episode 1

[docelboze]

So last night was the 1st installment of my new Fate Dresden-verse game i'm gonna call "Infernal Soil". Executive summary was that things went over well, I'm more fuzzy on rules than I thought I was, but in all folks had phun so that's the key point. More info behind the cut..

So I have 5 players and I think the characters fit well together. For those familiar with the system, I'm aware I'm allowing some "liberties" with the strict interpretations of the allowable archtypes cause well fuggit I can do that it's my game and I like the concepts >;).

Jeremiah (Jeptha ) Wade	A White council Wizard, a bit long in the tooth, but in reasonably good standing played by Paul. Head of ICON investigations which the WC uses for monitoring supernatural happenings in the city.
Dalia Ivies	She's the child of two Sidhe parents a Satyr and a Sylph, one from each court, so now she's perpetually caught in the middle. Shades of Merry Gentry in her characters feel (the court stuff not her constant schtupping...). She's FAST like True Blood Blurry Vamp fast, and she has wings that become a Tattoo when she's not in the NeverNever or flying, but she's got a "Fragile Mask" so while most of the time she passes for completely human, when she uses her speed, her wings or when I feel like it her True Form comes out to play. Played by Christina
Kelly Green	A biker-type dude who cursed by a Gypsy to be as grizzly outwardly as he was inwardly. He'a a were, but his change manifests when he gets angry or is behaving badly (as we'll see at the end of tonight!) Played by Marty
(Elmo) Socrates	Yes he is THAT Socrates. He drank what? Instead of the Hemlock, Socrates followers got him a potion of immortality. This resulted in him becoming a kind of "Jack Harkness" immortal. He will "die" but it's a mild case of death and he resurrects at the speed of plot. we also gave him "Babble Fish" since he's been alive for ~2500 years he pretty much speaks all languages. He's bored with life, looking for something to make it worth keeping on. And in Back Jurton He JUST might have found it! Played by Steve S.
Back Jurton	OK names aside, this guy will work a full blooded human with stunts out the wazoo, Back is basically Jack Burton from Big Trouble in Little China. A loudmouth, a bit cocky and owns his own trucking firm. Played by Steve V.

The game takes place in Cleveland, OH and the themes for the city all center around Magic keeping the city down. Still kinda noodling on some of the City and location stuff but play started so...

We open the stage in the elevator of a large office building, Back Jurton is eying up the ceiling as he rides up to his Job interview. It's a strange situation. He doesn't remember ever sending out an application to the firm, but they contacted him and asked him to come in. But, hey Money is Money am I right? He's ushered in and seated in a conference room. A smallish man with a bald pate, long nose and ears that stick out a bit far greets him. "Mr. Burton is it? You've come to our attention because of your reputation for delivering things on time. (one of the character's aspects you see). You own your own truck delivery vehicle and company is that correct? "

"I have a small Rig that gets the job done. Back Jurton always there always on time!" The back and forth goes on Back is offered a reasonable payment for a delivery job during the weeks leading up to Halloween - the firm's busiest time of year (it's B.A. Sweeties candy company you see). The person hands him a card, that says Owner and Proprietor B.A Sweeties Co, Jonathan. A. Crane. and asks him to be ready for some local deliveries in about two weeks.

On the way downstairs he notices a coffee shop called "Neutral Grounds" (yes yes I'm using the demo adventure - it's week one new characters and it fits. Sue me!) His stomach was grumbling and he couls use a cuppa joe so what the hell. He bellys up to the bar, and orders "Coffee flavored coffee, and a bagel."  A shote while later a group of four folks wander on in, Wade, Dalia, Socrates and Kelly to be exact. They're discussing a puppy getting electrocuted when some putz was testing his electric fence poorly. Now Neutral Grounds for those who don't know is an "accorded neutral terretory" Part of the Seelie Accords, making it a supernatural Switzerland of sorts. So there's a random number of tables scattered about like to minimize magic spill over etc. Wade and the ICON investigations crew are regulars here as the owner Diane is not just a Wicked Awesome Barrista but also a Potion-omancer in her own right.

As the unwitting PC's enjoy their coffee and scones, three critters step out of the NeverNever in a corner of the shop. One runs in and grabs Diane and starts to drag her out the Way, while the other two interceede with any commotion. Back and Socrates are shocked by this, the rest begin to act. Kelly asks Wade "Should we care?" and Wade responds with "We must protect the City (getting a compel for one of his aspects.) Kelly groans and jumps into the fray with one of them. They kind of look like goblins or ghouls or some nasty from your dreams. Dalia runs up and takes a swing at one and while it's not as fast as she is, they are moving faster than they should. Kelly manages to throw one back through the gateway into the NeverNever, while Wade uses his wind magic rote to press one back only succeeding in knocing Diane into its arms. The one with Diane eventually thros her through the Way and Wade, already far enough into the casting to be unable to stop him self rips the opening shut as we watch two of the three constructs crumble into ectoplasmic goo.

Some frivolity ensues while clearing things up, Wade accidentally eets Back's eyes drawing the two into a soulgaze. Instantly Back knows all about the 4 infront of him (at least from Wade's perspective) and knows that Wade though driven and maybe suffering for certain moral ambiguities, he's basically a good guy. Wade gets insight into Back's character and his courage under fire in Felusia (Veteran Military Driver, you see). In all this expedited Wade hiring Back on and moving the story a bit (sounds hand wavish, but it didn't seem like it at the time) .

Using the interwebs Socrates discovers that an Eric McCoollough had a TRO filed against him by Dianne. So they figure maybe it's a love triangle gone wrong. They find a slip of paper with Dianne's description on it and the logo for a local hotel that leads them to where Diane's current beau is. They arrive to discover him tied up and surrounded by a rather large and boom-y ward, which Wade has little trouble taking down. Frank is a pure mortal, but he's clued in. He says Eric is an annoying poser who never got it that Diane was through with him. At this point Eric's name finally triggers the Wades' addled memory. Eric was under the Council's eyes earlier for being potentially of interest, but they decided he didn't show enough umph. Plus his focus was psychomancy which is not exactly legit under the Laws...Frank gives them Eric's address Asthey are taking Frank home suspecting Diane and Eric might be hold up there, Wade makes a notice that the threshold on their place is stronger than a couple living in sin should have, and learned that Diane was expecting.

They get to Eric's apartment, and have an altercation with the upstairs neighbor, that leads Kelly to forcably change into his were form, (Anger management issues you see). Wade bottles um up, and talks him down (Thank Go he's not to strong on the Mental track could been ugly). They find Eric's summoning circle, some pamphlets pointing to the Memorial in public square and some lunar calendars.  That's when Wade realizes that there's a Ley Line under public square and it will be at its strongest at around 9pm (About 2 hours from now.)

We closed there - the heroes about to go off and stalk into the evening to talke on a Psycomancer connected to a ley line and his henchmen, save the girl and her unborn child and get all this done in time to get Jack's deliveries ontime...