Head Full of Possibilities (FAFO session 18)

RECAP: Gladys and her son Stephen St Martin - Vampire Hunting Group. They are interested in Shelly's painting because Christopher Ballard is interested in the painting. He is also interested in Orlok's bane. They are going to attack Ballard's house tomorrow night, and would like help. They would like to kidnap one of the family connected to Christopher to get closer to someone who they think is a Vampire. Scheduled with Rivka to give the info, and get the bane, Getting the bane would check off the 2nd task.
 
Aeysha contacted her contacts to find info about the Order of St Martin. Only able to get a few things, and the mansion and the bombing of it was mentioned.
 
3rd task gentleman who does business with devils. He's well respected, but has been off his game a LOT. We need to get him straightened out. A young man - Arthur Gecko. He works at the Chicago Board of Trade. There has been some supernatural influence on his life, I want you to stop it.
 
GAME DAY: July 8th Saturday. (deal was struck June 21st) 3 tasks within months. Then learn the owner of the contract.
 
Life lessons from Leslie "your morals can't erode if you never had any to begin with"
 
Riobhca (Rivka) is waiting for us at the back of the social club. There is a nice press, but around her table there are 3 empty seats. She waves us over.
reminders that witch can't have the last word, don't accept anything
For a moment we see her pale even further at the mention of Christopher Ballard. "you have done me a service, we will be greeted and given 6 slivers of bane, it may provide some renitence against domination and will at least stop them from biting you." Press it into a charm. Can put them in a suspension.
The city is ruled by vampire lords, not mayor. He is one of the most powerful vampire lords. If you enter his orbit, you will need to be on your guard all of the time. you will never know where he is coming from.
The magical community of Chicago, we are Switzerland, we are staying out whatever fighting is going on in the Vampire Community.
Magic comes from inside you - power can come from trauma being awakened inside of you. Spells can help to focus the power within.
Could a vampire take control of a mage?? If embraced they lose their power.
Riobhca would be able to track back with something personal of hers? She says yes, it's possible.
She pulls out a fountain pen, and a napkin, and we watch her/hear her say something. She is speaking a brief phrase in Gaelic dialect. She draws some straight lines and things, and it looks like a marked paper. Once Frank touches it, it's an an address. She would like a few moments to prepare it's just around the corner.
We will go out and leave. We are met by a person - out of place elder goth - black parasol, shorts over tights, bumps into us, and hands over to Doug a baggy - slivers of a garlic clove.
 
Frank sees a white puffy cat just looking at Frank. The cat ignores the tuna and rubs her cheek against Frank's hand. The cat's posture changes, becomes more rigid, and tries to grab the tuna and run away. There is always a SUDDEN change in a flash, usually left with a freaked out cat.
 
We go to the address. There WAS a buzzer. It's not there anymore. There is no security system anymore. There is a small foyer, by the mailboxes - we feel a tingle, like something passed over us. We are drawn to the tile pattern on the floor. They are sometimes beautiful. This one is heebeegeebies, and something just a little dangerous. As we continue in, there are stairs, and we stand in front of the door, and it is partially ajar. Riobhca is working. She has cleaned out all 4 floors of this apartment building. She has a huge loft space with platforms hung from the ceiling. This looks like actual construction - it's really well done. Any of the staircases are rigged to drop if so desired.
 
Frank brings the painting in - and asks about the cats? is that Shelly? or a vampire riding the cat? Frank IS the something special to Shelly, and sets her in the circle. The circle grew to accommodate the 4x4 painting.
 
Riobhca starts picking up potted plants, and she starts placing them in order around the outer circle. "I am particularly good with leaf." She returns to speaking in gaelic. She has a seed in each of her palms, and she closes her eyes, it sounds like a poem deep in touch with something inside of herself. After a while the seeds in her hands sprout. Then the plants start to grow along the borders and in the patterns surrounding Frank and the painting. Riobhca opens her eyes, and they are glowing lavender, no iris, no whites. "She's alive, she's in chicago, she is in a place devoid of life, surrounded by blood, someplace out of touch with life. She is connected to your familiar." and a calico eeks out from around Frank's back. "She's high, separated from the earth. She sees you everyday, and lives for those moments where she is connected to something else." Riobhca pulls back, and the plants are devoid of life. Frank is quietly sobbing. "there is no living thing around her."
 
There is a polite knock on the door. There are all kinds of locks, and it sounds like someone is rolling dice in a cup, and all of the locks unlock. I heard there was a ritual, and you might need replenishment. Styx the goth girl. Stay here a wee bit, and have a dram...
((Thistle growing long in dirt, but also wisteria, jade, and one MIGHT have been basil.))