Session 17 - The Reactor (Part 1)

Key Points:

• The remaining Runners arrived at the steel gates of the Mana Reactor in Quiet Mountain...
• Many members of the group still mourned the loss of Trajan.
• The gate was activated remotely, so without scaling it, it would be difficult to get past it.
• Klein knew of a secret mountain passage through a crevice that would lead to a maintenance tunnel of sorts.

• Finding the maintenance entrance, the group prepared to enter the reactor...
• After Kembu and Roan discovered a security camera, Managirl disabled it (almost falling off part of the mountain in the process).
• The group donned protective filter masks while Klein equipped a gas mask.

• Opening the maintenance entrance revealed a sewer tunnel of sorts. A river of mana flew through the middle with mana being stuck to the walls, the walkways, and the ceilings.
• Klein shared that the mana can burn the skin if directly contacted with it, and prolonged exposure can result in mutation and death.

• As the group advanced, they began to hear strange noises.
• Klein attributed these to "ghosts in the machines", but it was actually revealed to be Mana-Nui. A strange, almost primordial mana elemental, this creature seemed to be born of this muck. The group was hesitant as his appearance, but when he presented himself as a friend, the group became more opened to him. Klein was entranced by his uniqueness.
• Mana-Nui revealed he hadn't seen any people down here, but he spoke of terrible creatures (amongst them something called brain-lions).
• Mana-Nui seemed able to alter his appearance, and gave an impression of one of these creatures (making most of the group sickened).

• Klein shared her concern that some of the specimens of Project Rebirth may have escaped.
• Project Rebirth seemed to be an effort on Genesis's part to recreate several extinct species. She worked on it on-again and off-again, but was never a head researcher on it.
• She claimed that species from Project Rebirth were moved here along with her when she worked at the Quiet Mountain facility.
• Along with Project Rebirth, other dirty secrets of Quiet Mountain are thought to be here.
• The history of Quiet Mountain was that it was a far away facility where work too dangerous for the city of Babylon could be performed. Many generations ago, a terrible accident occurred here that shut down the facility. It was reopened sometime during the last decade and parts of it have been receiving upgrades during that time, but the official records state that Quiet Mountain is currently abandoned. Klein's intel from the hengeyokai claim that her research (for a project yet unshared with the group) is being used here in the past six months.

• Manu-Nui joined the group, invited by Klein to do so.
• Discovering a manhole cover leading up, the group proceeded into the facility proper, leaving behind stalking brain-lions.
• After exiting a maintenance closet, the group discovered several key factors about this facility...
• The doors use card readers and the cards are color coded. Only the right cards can get access to certain areas.
• The group seemed to be on the south end of the facility, where there was numerous options to choose from for exploration. Amongst them, there were three hallways, numerous jet back card rooms, a game room, and a lounge.
• There was also an anti-gravity lift that acted as transportation between the different levels of the facility. Due to the power being out on the southern portion, the lift wasn't working over here.
• Managirl found a deactivated repair robot, opened its innards, and looted two gems from it.
• When checking the hallways, the group discovered bones, bits of rags, and vegetable husks along with a violet card. Above these signs, there was a living, breathing darkmantle (a flying octupus creature) that descended upon the group to attack them after they made noise. Before it could do any real damage, Roan, Kembu, and Managirl killed the creature.

• Something about the combat triggered dormant issues within several key members who had succumbed to the first stage of mana radiation (Kembu, Managirl, and Del. It should be noted that Manu-Nui is naturally in the first stage of it himself.)
• Kembu found that his wounds were naturally healing on their own...
• Del could sense the pain and physiology of others around her on an empathic level.
• Managirl find a deep light within her wanting to shine, and she temporarily released it in a blinding dazzling ray that blinded the entire group.

• Managirl felt sick after her outbreak, and Manu-Nui nursed her and rocked her from side to side a bit until she was comforted.
• The group prepared to explore the rest of the facility--with the med-bay in mind for cures to their illnesses and the security facility for a higher level keycard.

Current Objectives:

• Discover the secrets of Quiet Mountain.
• Complete the Middleman's Second Job: Dr. Klein.
• Complete the Middleman's Third Job: ???
• Receive the Middleman's Answers.

Session 16 - The Dragon's Son Falls to the Abominable

Key Points:

• April 10th (Wednesday), 346 AU.
• In the early morning, the group reunites after a (peaceful) night of sleep in the Grand Hotel at Quiet Mountain.
• Once gathered, Klein asks the group to make a pledge to protect her to the utmost of their ability and to not interfere with her work.
• Klein clarifies that she suspects that her research is being used by Genesis at the mana reactor.
• Some make the vows, others keep quiet, while some refuse entirely.
• Klein expresses that her research shouldn't be used for ill purposes (the reason she left Genesis in the first place), and will do what she has to do in order to see that her work isn't being used to harm others.

• The group purchased some cold weather outfits as well as chains for the trucks tires.
• While meeting up to leave, the group saw Lenny and other children in the town playing football. They were picking on one blonde kid in particular.
• The townspeople are no more friendly today than they were yesterday.
• While the omnipresent fog is around, at least the foghorn hasn't sounded out.

• The treacherous mountain road up to the Mana Reactor started up as a straight shot, but soon turned into a twisting, winding mess.
• The weather is very cold, and endurance checks were necessary to resist the effects of the cold weather.
• Through perception checks, the group soon realized that something capable of howling was hunting them.
• Klein briefly revealed that in the days of the Brother, winter wolves that breathed frost roamed these mountains, but winter wolves are thought to be extinct. There are supposedly regular wolves that roam Quiet Mountain.

• The group learns that not wolves, but yetis are ambushing them...
• A patch of slick ice up ahead made it too dangerous to drive forward.
• That and the rock slide that the howling yetis triggered.
• With the perceptions of Trajan, Del, and Kembu, Roan was able to stop in time before hitting the ice and being in the path of the rock slide.

• Some general information on yetis was revealed...
• Yetis are ape-like natural beasts that roam the cold mountain regions. They are thought to be extinct, but it seems there is at least a small population living on Quiet Mountain. They enjoy hunting, typically preferring easy prey and picking off one target to carry away.
• The group faced two yetis specializing in howling, three specializing in hunting, and a larger one (the pack leader) that had a hint of primal power (a barbarian).

• The first round of combat broke out...
• The two howlers decided to throw boulders at the truck in an attempt to crush the people within. Roan threw it in reverse, and was able to back away in time to avoid the boulders.
• Kembu, who had jumped out of the truck, was not so lucky and he was hit by debris.
• Trajan had been the first to lead the charge, jumping out of the truck and introducing the yetis to the fear of the dragon. The yetis, totally unaware of what a dragon was, weren't scared.
• The abominable snowman attacked Trajan and wounded him severely early on.
• Roan leaned across Klein's lap in the truck, and fired at the abominable snowman.
• One of the yetis landed on the truck bed and picked up Managirl, clawing her in the process.
• She didn't like that very much, so she burnt him with her mana powers.
• In the mean time, one hunter went to engage Kembu while the other went after Trajan. Both the yetis were effective in their attacks, Kembu being bloodied and Trajan near death.
• Kembu severely wounded the hunter attacking him (bloodying it).
• Managirl spread the love around (while still being grabbed), bombarding many of the yetis with her special fire.
• Del summoned up her trio of animals (Graal, Kiki, and Jergo) then healed Trajan with her primal magic.
• Klein ensured that she would be a suitable combatant, firing at the yeti that Kembu wounded, and killing it. (She had wanted to capture one alive, but ultimately, that wouldn't be possible).

• Round two began...
• Trajan attempted to recover from the beating he had taken, engaging the yeti hunter that attacked him, and wrestling with it. He got some impressive hits on it, all things considered.
• The howlers gave up throwing rocks. One tried to close in on Kembu, while the other attacked the truck, and unleashed a thunderous howl that wounded many. Just being around them was also painful thanks to their constant screeching.
• As a note, throughout the combat, the following wounds were sustained. (Trajan - nick artery. Klein - concussion. Managirl - Gut wound.)
• The abominable snowman knocked Trajan unconscious, then slung him over his shoulder.
• Roan tried to help out Trajan, firing on the yeti hunter (killing it) and the snowman attacking the hobo.
• The sniper then slammed the truck in reverse in order to avoid the shrieks of the howler that attacked them.
• The hunter holding onto Managirl attempted to get the rest of the nearby enemies away from it so that he could eat the little girl in peace. The thundering roar blasted Kiki and Jergo away, then sent Roan flying out of the truck and landing in the snow (dying). The windows of the truck were destroyed.
• Kembu went for the howler the truck had left behind, bloodying it with one of his powerful strikes. He then followed it up, killing the howler with another strike.
• Managirl fired off some more magic, but in her panic, she couldn't quite aim the shots like she wanted to.
• Del summoned her toad spirit, which used its tongue to latch onto the yeti attacking Managirl, and drag it away from her (thus freeing her from the creature's grasp).
• Del then rushed to the aid of the fallen, healing Roan.
• Klein got of the truck, and started firing on the remaining howler.
• The group heard the abominable snowman call out to its mate, who was dangerously nearby.

• Round three, and more danger...
• Trajan failed his death saving throw (the first of three).
• The last howler advanced on Klein, Roan, and Del--attacking them with its thundering howl.
• The snowman decided to bring its meal (Trajan) to its mate, so it proceeded to climb up the mountainside.
• Graal, who had been harassing the snowman, got a good swipe in on it.
• Roan takes a breather to heal himself up...
• Kembu leaped incredibly through the air and force fed one of the healing pills to Trajan.
• Managirl finished off the hunter that had been attacking her earlier.
• Del tried to using the grasping tides to slow down the fleeing snowman, but her water had no effect.
• Klein continued firing on the remaining howler with her rail handgun.
• The mate draws closer...

• Round four, and tragedy strikes...
• Trajan desperately fights against the grasp of the abominable snowman (the last yeti standing, not counting the mate and the last howler). The snowman proves to be too strong for him, and he can't free himself. With his last action, the vanguard decides to take one last drink...
• The last howler yowls at Del, Roan, and Klein--wounding Del and pushing her back.
• The snowman's thunderous roar makes Graal vanish, and Trajan fall unconscious.
• With an action point, the snowman knocks Kembu off the cliff face, and tumbling to the road where he fell dying.
• The snowman clambered up the mountain side with Trajan, vanishing into the snow storm.
• Roan, Del, and the Toad's combined efforts resulted in the last remaining howler being killed.
• Managirl in her desperation tried to use the ring she stole from Nerva to fool the snowman, but the snowman's scent told it was a mere illusion, and it wandered off to find its mate.

• The aftermath...
• On the winds, the group heard the howling cries of victory from the snowman and its mate, then they heard the final death scream of Trajan, along with bones crunching soon after... the dragon's son falls to the abominable.
• Del rushed to the side of Kembu to help stabilize him before he died.
• Managirl had a breakdown, crying to herself over her failure to save Trajan. Del later attempted to console her to little effect.
• Roan did what he did best, and cleaned up the mess left behind to get the group ready to leave.
• The group mourned the loss of Trajan in their own different ways... they used the downtime to recover, and it was ultimately decided that they had to push on with the mission in order to make sure Trajan's death wasn't in vain.

Party Death:

• Trajan Zalmoxis was dragged off and eaten by a pair of yetis.

Level Up:

• The party advanced to level four.

Current Objectives:

• Discover the secrets of Quiet Mountain.
• Complete the Middleman's Second Job: Allow Dr. Klein to research the Quiet Mountain mana reactor and its effects on fauna and wildlife.
• Complete the Middleman's Third Job: ???
• Receive the Middleman's Answers.

Session 15 - Paranomal Events and Songs About Dicks

Key Points:

• Trajan, Kembu, and Roan delivered Klein safely to her room in the Grand Motel.
• Roan decided to secure the room--checking exits and entrances.
• Trajan acquired some whiskey from the full bar and ended up lifting an expensive silver fox fur coat before (at the request of Dr. Klein) checking on Nerva in the trailer.
• Kembu decided to go look for Managirl and Del.

• While Trajan checked on Nerva...
• He found that Klein had harvested some flesh and all the organs of Tucker, the burnt terrorist.
• Nerva was cold, but otherwise fine (in his medically induced coma)... Trajan covered him with some blankets.
• A boy in an orange hoodie (Lenny) tried to peer in at what was going on, but Trajan soon shooed him away.
• Trajan resisted the effects of the foghorn...

• Kembu and Roan fell prey to the effects of the foghorn...
• The two were suddenly and jarringly brought into some sort of shared hallucination--a paranormal event.
• The inn transformed into a run down, half-burnt wreck.
• Kembu had been caught on the first floor when this happened. He encountered strange creatures with the faces of people from his past. Terrified, he fled upstairs.
• Roan on the other hand heard a woman's voice calling him, which drew him to the second floor where he met the fleeing Kembu.
• The pair investigated the voice and discovered that it was the terrorist Leonhardt Nacht holding a woman in a security uniform hostage.
• Roan fried at Nacht's hand, disarming him of his weapon, and then put five bullets into the man's face.
• Kembu had arrived in melee range--knocking Nacht onto his back.
• The woman cried Roan's name, before the effects of the foghorn faded...
• Roan seemed emotionally upset at the least, seemingly to have known the woman.

• Out in the snow storm, Del and Managirl wandered...
• The two of them attempted to get back to the hotel after the delivery at the gunshop went awry.
• When the foghorn blared, the two of them were seperated...Del remained in the 'real' world while Managirl entered the paranormal event.
• Managirl was lost in the snowstorm where she came across horribly mutated versions of her birth parents. They claimed that they didn't want to give her up, that it was her sister's fault, but Managirl was too terrified at their abnormal and hideous appearance to make too much more sense of it.
• Del searched for Managirl, and eventually found her when she returned to the real world with the help of her animal companions Kiki, Jergo, and Graal.

• Kembu, Trajan, Del, and Managirl ended up meeting at the hotel after all that.
• They briefly shared their experiences, and decided that it would be best to check on their new friend and hitchhiker (Sarah) since she would be performing soon. Kembu went ahead, while Del, Trajan, and Managirl rested for a moment in the hotel lobby. When they were ready, they soon followed after them.

• Roan stayed behind to check on Klein...
• Klein reasoned that these events were a result of the mana reactor (and the group would later learn that foghorn came from the reactor itself by asking the locals).
• After speaking of the paranormal events, the two of them briefly got into Roan's background with Genesis. It seemed personal to him, but it was clear that he had a vendetta against the terrorist Leonhardt Nacht.
• After having a drink (or two), Roan was feeling better, and he accompanied Klein to Skeeter's Bar and Cocktails to meet up with the rest of the group and see Sarah Bloom's concert.

• Prior to arriving at Skeeter's Bar and Cocktails, Kembu ran into the boy in the orange hoodie (Lenny) who Roan almost hit coming in, and who Trajan shooed away earlier.
• Kembu asked Lenny some questions in exchange for a gold coin.
• Lenny said that the foghorn comes from the mana reactor and it warns the town when to hide. He claims that the visions can hurt and even kill (Lenny mentions having died numerous times in the visions, but always waking up in his bed safe and sound with everyone else having no memory of his death). Lenny says the more you have the visions, the longer you get stuck in them (sometimes for days).
• Lenny claims that if you're ever lost in the vision, that playing carousel can get you out (told so by his friend Aric). He claims another friend (Lyle) says Aric is full of shit and that carousel doesn't work.

• At Skeeter's Bar and Cocktails...
• Kembu arrived first and met with Sarah Bloom in the back. She was acting odd, but that seemed normal for her as the group discovered. Sarah hadn't seen anything strange going on, but she didn't quite dismiss Kembu's belief of supernatural things going on. She ended up getting him to zip up her dress and kiss his cheek (albeit, he was embarrassed to do so it seemed).
• Trajan, Del, and Managirl arrived together. Managirl seemed to shrink away as the gunstore owner (Jumbo) was drinking here. She ended up slinking into the back, and Trajan followed her (after getting two rums to drink).
• Trajan thought Sarah might've been drugged or something (by her weird behavior of asking everyone for good luck kisses), but determined that she was just bizarre, and quickly parted ways from her.
• Managirl poked around in the barkeeper's office, but found nothing of use. She then spoke with Sarah privately in the changing room, and the musician convinced Managirl to announce her on stage.
• Roan and Klein arrived together, where they both sat with Kembu and Trajan who had finished their encounters with Sarah.
• Del, in the mean time, approached Jumbo the gunstore owner, and tried to see what he remembered of the event earlier. He introduced her to his friend (Ed) and while the two initially came off as unfriendly to Del, they eventually warmed up to her. It seemed that Jumbo is aware of the foghorn and the mana reactor, but not of any strange events. To him, the delivery earlier seemed to go normal. 

• Conversations were had...
• Trajan revealed that he was hoping that Klein and Roan would do the horizontal shuffle in an effort to prove that they were both human. Klein was horrified, Roan was his somewhat angry as well.
• Del, after her conversation with Jumbo, rejoined the group. She shared what she knew about him.
• Most of the group got drinks (ranging from alcohol to hot chocolate).
• Managirl introduced Sarah in a somewhat amusing and inappropriate way.
• Sarah came on stage, wearing a faux princess gown of blue and white along with makeup and a fake tiara and jewels.
• Most of the party was cheering for her, though the locals seemed to think this was a joke (and that is what they mostly thought for Sarah's entire performance).

• Sarah sang her songs...
• Somewhere between comedy and music, Sarah's first song was about a breakup she had, and how afterwards, all she could do was post pictures of her ex's dick on the internet in different ways.
• After a request from Trajan (as a way of an apology to Klein, who he also gave an appletini too), she played a song about a doctor who tears apart people's heart, soul, mind, and body. Klein accepted the apology.
• Sarah's last song was about her dying of an illness known as Jazz Fever (really syphilis). She acted out dying on stage at the end of the song, then sold t-shirts and CDs for the rest of the night. The group was the only one who bought anything... 

• Kembu ended up getting some air during the performance, where he and Roan briefly shared what the two of them knew about what was going on in the town.
• The group attempts to get through the night without another incident, and complete their work at the mana reactor.

New Items:

• N/A

Current Objectives:

• Discover the secrets of Quiet Mountain.
• Complete the Middleman's Second Job: Allow Dr. Klein to research the Quiet Mountain mana reactor and its effects on fauna and wildlife.
• Complete the Middleman's Third Job: ???
• Receive the Middleman's Answers.

Session 14 - Welcome to Quiet Mountain

Key Points:

• Captain Nate, leader of 'Alpha Team', a Genesis Security group, approached the party armed to the teeth. (A dozen men, and two humvees with machine gun turrets).
• Del wanted to leave before they arrived, and Klein was worried about being exposed.
• Roan stepped up and handled it. He delivered the prisoners (Jaunt and misc mercenaries) along with the cargo they were trying to steal to Captain Nate and his men.

• A helicopter arrived onto the scene...
• Emerging from it was ROGUE Agent (First Class) Darrell Johnson, AKA: The Poker. He is known from breaking the rules from time to time, and when he gets something in his head, he doesn't let it go. 'Poking' at something until he uncovers it.
• His personal bodyguard was KNIGHT (First Class) Luna. A short woman wielding a cyber suit and a high-tech katana.
• The soldiers that accompanied them escorted the prisoners and cargo onto the helicopter.

•  Roan was cooperative, and shared what information he knew with Agent Johnson. The two seemed to have a history with each other.
• It was revealed that Ruby, Jaunt, and Tucker were all members of EARTHQUAKE. Johnson seemed to have profiles on them all. The cargo they are after is unclear to the party, as they did not inspect it.
• Johnson seemed (aware) of these terrorists, their names, etc. and was mostly confirming with Roan that they were indeed present.
• Johnson began to hassle Roan over what he was doing out here with Klein. 
• The agent attempted to embarrass the scientist and her history, which he managed. More or less, it sounded like Klein's father is abusive (towards her, and her mother), and that he 'bailed' Klein out of trouble multiple times while she worked at Genesis. Klein stole some equipment when she was fired, and had it stolen back by Genesis.   
•  Klein was honest with the basic premise of her journey to Quiet Mountain with the Agent, but she did not elaborate on much of it. 
• Once the Agent was satisfied, he parted ways from the group, and offered to pay Roan (and co.) the bounty on the EARTHQUAKE members.
• Johnson also made a passing offer that if Roan needed work, he would pay good money for his services.

•  Luna spoke to the infatuated Managirl...
• Luna was friendly enough, even speaking of an attraction to Kembu. She bonded with Managirl over comics and magic. As a result, Luna learned Heather's name, her guardian's name, and that they lived in Babylon. They exchanged emails.
• Luna tried to place a tracer on the truck, but Roan later found it and removed it.

• The party loaded back up in the truck, and passed the wreckage of the train attack...
• On the news, there was no information on the attack. However...
• ROGUE Agent Gwen Morrisson (teal-haired woman from the OGRE press conference), was giving an interview on a news station over the terrorist Leonhardt Nacht.
• The radio station was accepting callers, the first of which asked if the video featuring Nacht taking down ten-armed and readied soldiers by himself was real. Gwen insisted that it was falsified by the Watchdog.
• Managirl decided to call in with a 'hot' tip about Nacht's location and revealed that she had delivered a package to him pre-campaign. She tried to weasel some money out of Gwen, who grew angrier and angrier with her. In the end, Managirl revealed her superheroine name, and ended the call.
• Roan was angry with Managirl, but he had made his own phone call as well. He asked why Nacht needed an EMP bomb, to which Gwen took the radio off the air.
• In a private conversation, Gwen swore she would bury Roan if he got in the way of her and Nacht.
• Roan gave Managirl a stern chastising, mentioning that her information could've let Nacht avoid capture by publicizing it on the radio.

• The group drove the rest of the day to Quiet Mountain...
• Along the way, they had to make a pit stop for gas.
• At the gas station, the elderly attendant tried to warn them not to go to Quiet Mountain, but he was ignored.
• There was also a woman by the name of Sarah Bloom there, who was an aspiring musician / comedian. She had no money for gas, and seemed sincere, so the group offered to pay for her gas, and take her and her moped up to Quiet Mountain, where she promised to pay them back after she completed her shows at Skeeter's Bar. They were all invited to come and see her perform.
• The group and Sarah seemed to get along well... everyone gave her suggestions on stage names to go by.
• Klein refused to come out of her trailer after the incident with Agent Johnson.

• By nightfall, the group made it to Quiet Mountain...
• The town itself seems to be covered in a perpetual fog and mist.
• The group almost hit a boy in an orange hoodie. He was playing with a ball with his friends in the woods near the edge of town.
• The town is built with all the businesses on a single main street with residence homes being behind those businesses.
• The main street had government buildings, a police station, restaurants, a school, all kinds of shops, etc. It was a small and quiet mountain town.
• The townspeople ranged from indifferent to unfriendly.

• The group parted ways from Sarah Bloom. Trajan, Kembu, Roan, and Klein went to check in at the Grand Hotel.
• The grand hotel is a dilapidated estate run by a very strange man...

• Managirl, escorted by Del, went to deliver the package from the Hengeyokai Caravan.
• The gunstore owner was far from helpful, threatening to shoot and kill Managirl when she used Jergo to teleport in. Luckily, she escaped, despite being shot at...

• A strange foghorn blasted like an alarm throughout the entire village, catching the party off guard.
• It seemed to warn against a strange snow storm that came down from the top of the mountain towards the town.
• Trajan, Kembu, Klein, and Roan are safe from it--indoors in Klein's room.
• Managirl and Del, however, have been caught in it outside...

New Items:

• 100 GP Each. (Agent Johnson's Payment)
  

Current Objectives:

• Complete the Middleman's Second Job: Escort Dr. Klein to Quiet Mountain to investigate the mana reactor there.
• Complete the Middleman's Third Job: ???
• Receive the Middleman's Answers.