Session 29 - Neurotic Fish

Key Points:

• The Middleman gave the party the location to meet their client (Mr. Rickenato). The Ramesses Embassy in the foreign district. The code word for the meeting was: Neurotic Fish.
• Rickenato is a VIP client of the Middleman.
• When Del spoke about her reluctance to give over a powerful artifact, the Middleman informed her that she could handle the job however she wanted, as long as the client was satisfied. The Middleman picked this group of Runners over other groups due to their morality.
• Rickenato seemed to be an avid collector of rare items, so it is likely he is not interested in the item for its power, but rather for the prestige of it.

• The news covered the coming parade with newscasters Jim and Olaf.
• In exchange for the information as to where Kembu could find the creator of Himawari, the Watchdog possibly received more than he bargained for.
• The group decided that before meeting Rickenato, to pursue their lead with EARTHQUAKE.
• Arriving at the Treant Theater, the group met with the manager: a half-elf by the name of Artemis.
• After showing them footage of Genesis killing unarmed civilians, kidnapping people, and performing illegal experimentations (by an ancestor of Klein's), Artemis and her twin brother (Apollo) met with the party to discuss business on behalf of Macklemore and EARTHQUAKE.
• Immediately, the group grew hostile based off of what they knew of EARTHQUAKE and experienced before. Apollo and Artemis claimed that most of the attacks attributed to EARTHQUAKE were created as propaganda by Genesis. That is not to say they're innocent, but they try to minimize causalities when possible. EARTHQUAKE was interested in the greater good and creating a better world for the common people.
• The group argued that EARTHQUAKE should pursue non-violent means. Giving people food, disseminating damning evidence against Genesis, and providing an organization that can be trusted.
• EARTHQUAKE claimed to be taking steps to remove the people within their organization that did not agree 100% with their leader.
• The end goal of the organization is to turn Ezra into a democracy.
• The incident with Ruby was supposed to end with EARTHQUAKE acquiring a super weapon that would turn the tides against Genesis.
• The group continued their moral high ground, but Apollo and Artemis claimed that Genesis controlled the truth, created the truth, and hid the truth. It would be difficult; almost impossible to fight them this way (in their opinions).
• EARTHQUAKE's leader seems to hold a grudge against Genesis, though many people within the organization want to improve the country. However, years of seeing things get worse has made them more desperate...and they believe time is running out.

• Having declined working with EARTHQUAKE, the group was allowed to leave on peaceful terms. Apollo and Artemis agreed to bring the information the group shared with them to their leader, but whether or not it will have had any real impact, is still left unknown.
  
•  Arriving at the Ramesses Embassy, things got weird...
• The group was taken up to see Mr. Rickenato by a guard wearing anubian "armor". The guards played rock, paper, scissors to determine who had to take the group up.
• Rickenato possessed a wide variety of cultural artifacts from all around the world; including a dragon skeleton, samurai armor, and a tank of sharks.
• The group met 'Warrior-G' -- Rickenato's personal bodyguard. He wore KNIGHT armor given to him by Genesis, wielded a falchion that was supposedly a holy avenger, and was a devout paladin of the elven God: Warrior. His real name is not Warrior-G. It is Abdel.
• An eccentric, small elf, Rickenato introduced himself to the group. He wore shoes made of gold, offered them Roc egg omelets, and seemed overly concerned with appearances and swag.
• Rickenato revealed that he wanted the group to acquire Pandora's Box for him. He said, that a ROGUE agent who has never failed him, is aware that the original Prometheus from the legend has resurfaced and is trying to sell the box. Problem is, he has a specific buyer in mind, and won't sell to Rickenato. Rickenato knows where the deal is supposed to go down, so that gives the group a lead to procure the box by any means necessary.
• Rickenato claimed that the ROGUE agent told him a special surprise would happen for him as the Genesis Foundation Parade crossed under the embassy.
• The group was suspicious that Rickenato's life might be in danger, but it turns out the danger was elsewhere...
• The president's wife was sniped from the presidential float by an exact duplicate of Roan. Setter noticed that the protective arcane force field had a glitch in it--where it would briefly be down for a second or two every few minutes.
• NPCs (that were noticed by the PCs) at the parade included... ROGUE Agent Gwen Morrisson, ROGUE Agent Lukas Baer, famed singer Hannah, President Abraham Campbell, and Vice-President Cain Campbell.

Current Objectives:

• Complete the Middleman's Third Job: Recover Pandora's Box for Rickenato.
• Receive the Middleman's Answers.